Buffalo debut roams a little much

Undoubtedly, the most impressive aspect of Avi Buffalo is the band’s age. Frontman Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg is only 18 years old. These Long Beach natives have put out a catchy and bright album, but they still have a little growing up to do.

On the self-titled album, the songs play in the theme of West Coast surf rock and pair well with a sunny day on the beach. Dreamy guitars melt over jazzy drums, and high-range vocals pierce the mix with witty, charming and overtly sexual lyrics, celebrating pushing the boundaries of innocence. The band’s young talent shines most on tracks like “Remember Last Time,” “Summer Cum” and “Five Little Sluts.”

Too often though, the songs run on much longer than they should, and Buffalo moves from their sound to a second-rate jam. Many of the tunes could stand to lose a few repetitions, or even minutes. Captivating riffs end up losing the listener’s attention after so many cyclic waves.

And so goes the album: shimmers of genius and creativity are sometimes swallowed by a sea of half-finished ideas, rolling into mediocrity and monotony.

The album is enjoyable, but it is clearly an early work of brilliance in need of some refinement. Avi Buffalo has time, though — they’ve just begun their musical lives.