As record labels awaken to the as-yet still untapped potential of the internet as a medium which can be utilised to garner their acts more attention than at any point in the past, it's now becoming more and more common for entire albums to be streamable online, a development I'm very much in favour of. I like being able to form my own opinion of a new album without having to rely on a review to paint an aural picture of it for me; without worrying that they might unconsciously colour my own reaction to the music. At the same time, it undoubtedly helps to create a sense of genuine anticipation; consider how much buzz the upcoming releases from the likes of The National, Broken Social Scene, LCD Soundsystem and The Hold Steady have generated. I honestly believe that people are more likely to head to their local record store having already heard how good these albums are, rather than off the back of an 8.2 Pitchfork review. Which isn't intended as a knock on Pitchfork; they do good work. It's just nice that record labels are displaying a newfound willingness to fully engage with their audience.
On that note, kudos to Sub Pop, who've made Avi Buffalo's self-titled debut album fully streamable ahead of its April 26th release. Before they did so, this band were barely on my radar. Having listened to it once through, I'm taken aback; it's absolutely stunning. As much as anything else I've touted recently, I'd recommend listening to this. Or, to put it another way: now, you can get on the bandwagon before the bandwagon gets moving.
Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo by subpop
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