The Buffalo Riot have almost gleefully kept themselves outside of the box marked ‘Liverpool bands’ since their beginnings in 2009. It’s simply never been a party they wanted to attend, not an existence they cherished or relished, thanks very much. Regular gigging, though, and a focus on the songs have always been the order of the day, so you won’t have seen them falling into that week’s favoured coffee shop, or out of that week’s favoured hipster craft beer gaffs, or on that week’s favoured guest lists. Such has their need been to concentrate on the music, the rehearsals, the writing and the recording. The whole point of being in a band in the first place. Well, to them, anyway. Others might not agree.

As a consequence, they’re a formidable live prospect, always were, and now, with the release of new album Pale Blue Oceans, they’ve not only delivered a lesson in pure songwriting, but brought it to the table with a bravery and an admirable sense of honesty, and a big, real big, we mean really big sound, and the coming launch night at Buyers Club subsequently holds much promise.

A full twelve months in the making, Pale Blue Oceans brings us a band taking on a new sound, a bigger, deeper, wider sound. In a slight step away from their characteristic Americana/Country rock sound, it’s an unashamed nod to the mainstream. They’ve lent something of a focus to the big 80s style production techniques of people like Steve Lillywhite or Bob Clearmountain and bands such as Talk Talk and Tears For Fears.

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