Buxton Navigate a Reflective Haze in “This Place Reminds Me of You” (premiere)

After three years of lying low, Houston’s Buxton are at it again with a new studio album in the form of Stay Out Late. Inspired more by emitting a particular vibe through its sonic airways than any particular message, the band’s Sergio Trevino sees it as an experiment by focusing more on tone than lyricism. While some might be quick to question such a vision, it was that penchant for something newfound that broke Trevino out of his writer’s block, jump-started by lending an ear to Talk Talk’s Laughing Stock that had awoken something in him. There’s a clear vision here, just with murkier, cryptic undertones that capture a hazier reflection on life.

As heard in “This Place Reminds Me of You”, Buxton captures this idea and runs with it. The group are keen to craft an almost-spectral slice of delectable post-rock, and they do so with an admirably graceful demeanor. The song floats in a certain area of mystery, but not to the point that it ever feels anxious. Trevino’s relaxed vocals help craft this dreamy soundscape to roam about, which he says was “strongly influenced by the late Jason Molina. I tried to sing in a similar lyrical rhythm and casualness. Though our voices are so different, this story of loss and memories came out unique in its own way.”

On its video, bassist Chris Wise says, “In the very early stages of ‘This Place Reminds Me of You’, it had a very heavy Twin Peaks vibe to it. And while it moved away from that over time, I still wanted to incorporate some sort of Lynchian mood to the video. One of my favorite scenes of all time is Dean Stockwell singing ‘In Dreams’ by Roy Orbison in ‘Blue Velvet’.”

“We tried to pay homage to that in a way that made sense for the song. My friend Trey and I immediately went to Home Depot and were there for two hours trying to find the light he sings into. And then we shot it the next day at our favorite Houston dive bar D&W Lounge on a Tuesday afternoon. D&W is a sort of treasure in Houston that opens at 7:00 am for coffee plant workers nearby. The owner Keith is a good friend of ours and was kind enough to let us use his bar for the video. My dog Rufus is in the video, too.”

Buxton’s Stay Out Late will be released on 19 October.