Buffet Lunch are a Scottish collective who make fidgeting art rock and have a debut album called The Power of Rocks arriving on May 7 via Upset The Rhythm. With the singles “Red Apple Happiness” and “Pebbledash” already out in the world, they’ve given us a third tease of what’s to come with “Said Bernie”. The band’s Perry O’Bray says:
“‘Said Bernie’ came from an article I read about a man named Bernie, who writes a letter to his local paper everyday and has done for forty years. I really liked his character from the article but developed the idea and changed him a bit – imagining a man that has been steadily shrinking everyday through fear and not being heard. I guess it’s just about isolation and your voice losing its weight.”
Using a twitching guitar and ever-changing rhythms, Buffet Lunch bring to life the titular Bernie in loving and vivid detail, while ensuring the song remains a sonic curiosity. They relay his adorable story over the detailed production, which brings his wisened features into sharper focus. Buffet Lunch’s own colourful style also shines out from “Said Bernie” as it features almost math-rock levels of instrumental interplay – squelching strings and bubbling electronics included – while O’Bray lays down sardonic affirmations that “it’s just a normal day in a normal city,” as he goes on to detail all the less-than-pleasant things that Bernie has to contend with daily, both internally and externally.
Buffet Lunch’s debut album The Power of Rocks comes out on May 7 through Upset The Rhythm (pre-order). You can find them on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram.
