<reviews >

McStravick's Aural Pleasures

Big Issue July 2004

This week's aural delicacy is Fife's LittleBuddha.  They have been called Scotland's new Garbage but that seriously underestimates the power of Kathryn McDonald's truly remarkable voice.  No screaming faux angst here but a sensual intonation that offers more than a nod to Marianne Faithful.

The uniqueness of such a great voice gives her the power to take their instantly memorable Dido-esque pop tune ‘Beautiful' to a much more fragile and delicate level.  Add to this sweeping Bond-style orchestration and you have one of the most exciting bands in Scotland at the mo. 

A stunningly beautiful piece of music.

ROGER McSTRAVICK

DAILY STAR

'What's Hot and What's Not'.

(Sunday, April 25th 2004)

"LITTLE BUDDAH - The Beautiful EP. Touted as the new Garbage, though I think it's more like Portishead, or an Ennio Morricone soundtrack performed by Massive Attack. 

Five tracks and nearly half an hour of wholly enchanting chill out."

DOMINIK DIAMOND

MUSIC NEWS SCOTLAND:

(April 2004)

Little Buddha are a cinematic trip-rock band described by Kim Fowley

as "The next big thing to come out of Scotland - the new Garbage".

Influenced by cinema composers, rock acts, songwriters, jazz artists

and contemporary acts like Massive Attack and Portishead.

The sound on the EP has been tinged by all of the above but never

dwells too much in one direction.

The bands vocalist, Kat McDonald, has a strong and distinctive style

which launches from the trip-orchestral sounds of the bands musicians;

Grant Tyrie (Bass, Double Bass, Piano, Moog, String Arrangement and

Programming), Iain Fugue (Guitars and Programming) and Kevin Guthrie (Drums).

Her vocal married to the soundscapes gives an earthy and rooted

feel to the material. They have found an audience that covers the

age-range and crosses cultures.

In late 2003 they launched www.littlebuddha.net and signed a collaboration with Molotov Records. They have been gigging steadily in the last few months taking in Glenrothes (support for the Grim Northern Social), Cafe Drummond, Aberdeen, an INDUSTRY SHOWCASE in Club Fandango @ The Archway Tavern, London, Stereo, Glasgow, The Twa Tams, Perth and the Candle Rooms, Kirkaldy - both One World Beat events.

The Beautiful EP, on Molotov Records, has its official release on 5th April 2004. They are also planning further collaborations with Molotov Records and The Indie Channel [SKY digital] in the coming year.

The launch gig is on 10th April at the Borderline, London alongside Plato's Republik. They should be gigging in Scotland during May, check out the website over the coming weeks.

THE FIFE FREE PRESS:

(April 23rd 2004)

THE BEAUTY OF LITTLE BUDDHA

With influences as varied as John Barry, Jeff Buckley and Massive Attack - among many others - Little Buddha are a band who are difficult to categorise.

Admittedly, their ethereal, often almost dream-like soundscapes, are not going to appeal to those who like hard and fast dance or screaming guitar rock, but this debut release hints at a strong love of melody and emotive musical backdrops that invoke lush images of a shady, more mysterious world where light and dark are not so clear cut.

This is music for the quiet moments of the day, those times of reflection and introspection when the soothing sounds of a sweeping song drift over, you can lighten the load for a few minutes.

The songs are driven by Kathryn McDonald's wistful and breathy vocals, a perfect complement to the epic feel of the music, which, although sometimes drifting a little too far into melodrama, manages to retain a minimalist accompaniment that never detracts from the overall mood.

You can almost feel her pain on tracks such as ' I'm Losing You' and 'Beautiful', her voice on the brink of cracking but never quite losing control - and it has that distinctive quality that draws you in to listen.

Stand out songs for me were 'Shadow' and 'Venice', although the six tracks vary little from the same theme and that is perhaps the only down side to what is otherwise a promising and surprising debut.

I admit I approached the first listen in sceptical mood, ready to dismiss Little Buddha as just another local band with little new to offer, so it was pleasing to hear music with a bit more thought put into it and a group looking for their own style.

Comparisons can be made to the likes of Portishead, Moby or the Cocteau Twins but Little Buddha can claim to have a sound of their own.

GORDON HOLMES.

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