In a world were folk music is becoming somewhat stale (at least on a mainstream level), there may be a shot at a little band that could to rise to the top.

I hope the voice in your head read that first line like a “movie trailer guy.”

The Last Bison are a band I was invited to check out on a whim last fall. Orchestral folk at its finest, folks. Benjamin Hardesty has one of the more unique voices in the genre that I’ve heard. Every single song the band sounds like they are having a blast. The recordings are no exception, including their latest EP – titled Dorado.

The one downside to this EP is that it does feel like a collection of B-Sides to their acclaimed LP VA, released last year. I have a hard time articulating why I actually feel this way. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s a shorter EP? But what separates a concept record from a regular record from a mere collection of leftover songs? I’m still figuring that out.

Dorado is definitely not a group of songs doomed to be categorized as “leftovers” though. “This Changes Everything” is a thrilling tune permeated with warm tones that has a cool percussion climax toward the end. “Dorado” has dreamy female vocals backing Hardesty’s vocals and violinist Teresa (sidenote: is she no longer in the band? The band’s facebook page doesn’t list her as a member and I can’t recall her last name) who is playing a melody I swear I’ve heard someplace on VA.  “You Are the Only One” sounds like a love song, backed by reserved yet beautiful cello playing. I dig it.

Dorado is a nice little EP that almost serves as a resume for what this band is capable of. It definitely doesn’t show close to everything, but it is a nice introduction to The Last Bison.

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Score: 3.8/5

The Last Bison: Facebook | iTunes