The Bitter Buffalo

I have a new favorite band. Yep, the refreshingly creative sound of Matson Jones has grabbed me by the ears and won’t let go! It hurts SO good!

Matson Jones has solidified themselves as the best new band you haven’t heard – yet. I’m not sure how many times I need to pound this down your throats, but this band is the answer to the question “isn’t there a band out there that sounds different than everything you hear on the radio?”

If you are Jonesing for a band that is extraordinarily talented and has a completely different sound than anything you’ve ever heard, look no further than Fort Collins, CO. MJ formed there, and scrounged up enough money to record their first incredible CD. I reviewed it on my music blog before, and even told you where to listen to it and buy it! Now that I have seen them live, I am convinced that they are simply getting better.

The humble quartet walked onto the stage with Devo’s “Gut Feeling/Slap Yer Mammie” playing over the speakers. The ladies (Martina Grbac and Anna Mascorella) sat down with their respective cellos as the drummer (Ross Harada) and bass player (Matt Regan) walked over to the far side of the stage. They graciously thanked the crowd and the venue and then broke into their first tune, which I didn’t recognize. I had thought all week about how much I was looking forward to MJ playing their songs from the one and only CD they have released, but I changed my mind as they played. I realized that they weren’t playing hardly anything from the CD (2 of 11 songs), just focusing on new material that will be released on January 1. This was an unrealized dream come true! I’ve been dying for new material from them, especially because the first CD is a bit on the short side. Here they were – fulfilling my dream by banging through (almost) all new stuff!

The androgynous crowd bounced and swayed throughout the 45-minute set and cheered with glee at the end of each song. I mostly focused on drummer Ross Harada, a member who was a bit buried on the CD. He was absolutely incredible, keeping odd beats and throwing in impromptu Keith Moon moments. The new material was much more complex and refined, both lyrically and musically. The arrangements are more complex, and the time signatures are much more tricky now. It was true bliss!

After MJ finished, we grabbed a beverage and chatted for a bit with some friends. We suddenly got the idea to see what kind of merchandise MJ was selling. When we got to the lobby, I was a little surprised to see the band literally schlepping their own gear! We spoke to them for a bit, got some info on upcoming shows and the new CD, and then headed back to watch Sleater-Kinney.

Maybe it was just the excitement of meeting the band, or seeing them for the first time, or the fact that S-K was playing the last show of their tour. Somehow, S-K didn’t do much for me. Carrie had some energy, looking like the bastard female child of Pete Townshend and Chrissy Hynde. Corin was unable to return for an encore because she had an allergic reaction to something. I didn’t witness this myself, because D and I looked at each other after about 40 minutes and decided we had already seen what we really wanted to see.

I’m telling you AGAIN – go listen to Matson Jones! Visit their website, check their tour dates, and get on the freakin' bandwagon. This is the next great band in the world, and you can’t miss it!