Young bands can often change styles quickly and comprehensively, especially when out of the usual media glare. Despite being a cultural center for decades–thanks to writers like William Faulkner and John Grisham–Oxford, Mississippi isn’t exactly a musical force, but that’s allowed the band Young Buffalo to blossom. The then-trio debuted in 2011 with the Young von Prettylips EP, which found Young Buffalo trading in an expansive, rhythmically-rich sound akin to Dirty Projectors.
Over the next few years, the group added band members and refined its sound with a few more singles and another EP in 2012. Slowly but surely, Young Buffalo simplified, turning into a powerful pop-rock group with several national tours under its belt (including a stint opening for the Arctic Monkeys). The group returns to Austin on Wednesday, July 16 with a show at the Mohawk supporting the Crookes. They also just released a taste of their long-gestating debut album, which is slated for release early next year. “Sykia” delivers hooks with a two-guitar attack, and the fact they teamed up with longtime Weezer producer Dave Schiffman makes total sense.
