Regenerator
Regenerator is a brighter, more open record than the darker parts of King Buffalo's recent work might suggest. The final album in their pandemic trilogy keeps the long guitar passages and heavy rhythms, but gives them a warmer mood. Strong bass lines and active drumming make the music move, even when a song takes several minutes to reach its largest section.
The title track makes an effective introduction. A gentle electronic setting gives way to a steady rhythm, with the guitar gradually moving further forward. The singing sits comfortably inside the arrangement. Its nine-minute length gives the band room to change the sound without losing the clear pulse underneath.
Mercury puts the rhythm section in an especially good position. The bass has a memorable part of its own, and the drums add detail without crowding the guitar. Distortion brings more weight as the song develops. Hours begins with a firmer riff, then breaks its momentum to make room for bass and synthesizer before returning to the heavier sound.
Interlude is a useful change at the centre of the record. A repeated, fingerpicked guitar part and a restrained vocal make it feel like a complete small song. Mammoth follows with a strong groove and a more prominent vocal before opening into an extended instrumental section. The change in scale gives both tracks a clearer role.
Avalon lets clean guitar chords ring into space, then adds heavier playing while keeping that sense of depth. Firmament brings the sequence to a strong conclusion. Its quieter opening builds towards a large final passage, with guitar, bass and drums working closely together before the music stops abruptly.
The longer builds do ask for patience, and the familiar approach may offer fewer surprises to listeners who know the band's earlier records. Yet Regenerator uses that shared sound with confidence. The arrangements are detailed, the grooves are clear and the warmer mood gives the playing a fresh lift. It is a strong finish to this run of albums, with enough purpose in its extended passages to make their length feel worthwhile.
