For The Birds

GRANT LEE BUFFALO: “Buffalondon Live” (London); BUFFALO TOM: “Tree House” (4 AD); JULIANA HATFIELD THREE: “For The Birds” (East West).

I can get rather wary about the new generation of American three-pieces. The Neil Young debts can get transparent and not every new hero can match Kurt Cobain’s facility for matching swooping melodies with rock’n’roll velocity and ferocity. Initially Grant Lee Buffalo can confuse through Mr. Phillips’ vocal similiarity to new Killiney resident, Mike Scott but once that obstacle has been hurdled, these four live tracks show a breadth of vision that, for once, might make one bow temporarily to the hype.

As for the other Buffalo in the menagerie, the Tom-persons swoop and hurtle headlong to their appointment with the chorus but I’m still a trifle suspicious about Juliana Hatfield’s self-characterization as a faux naif. Only in moderation is moderation good for the rock soul.