Based in Scotland, where they played shows with like-minded off-kilter, garage-influenced indie acts such as
Irma Vep
and
Robert Sotelo
-- or more on point for their distinct musical touchpoints, Glasgow's
Kaputt
--
Buffet Lunch
debuted their high-spirited, angular post-punk sound on two EPs in 2019. Two years later, they present their first album and
Upset the Rhythm
label debut,
The Power of Rocks
. Recorded mostly over a period of five days in coastal Argyll in March of 2020, the album was completed long-distance during pandemic lockdowns that saw lead vocalist
Perry O'Bray
work up two additional songs with singer
Jayne Dent
(aka
Me Lost Me
). In the tradition of
Fred Schneider
et al., the other nine tracks, including the sauntering, saxophone-accompanied opener "Red Apple Happiness," are guided by
O'Bray
's emphatic spoke-sung lead and detached tone ("Red apple happiness/You're rotten at the core/The holes are driven and the worms are hidden"). Songs like "Orange Peel" and "Said Bernie" are more typically cluttered with multiple meandering guitar lines and irregular drum patterns, while lyrics remain playful in tone as they navigate (and circumnavigate) topics ranging from alienation in old age ("Said Bernie") to awe of nature ("The Power of Rocks") and absurdity ("He Wore Two Hats"): "Friend of some folk and enemy of all/Wearing two hats gets the best of both worlds/And the worst." Musically, that song converges a syncopated bassline, rambling guitar lines, and compact keyboard hooks. Contrasting the bulk of the album are the
Dent
tracks, which artfully close Side A and Side B. Her airy, melodic vocals mellow the trippy, slow-paced "Ten Times," which eventually settles into a slow groove, as well as final track "Ashley's New Haircut," a quirkier keyboard-heavy entry that likewise offers respite from the spiky, riff-minded clatter of the official band. Taken together,
is a pleasantly puckish jumble -- which in this case may well mean mission accomplished. ~ Marcy Donelson