Review: “Nine Places in South Buffalo” by The Hathaway Family Plot

The Hathaway Family Plot is searching for ways to make music weird again, even if that means making some less-than-enjoyable music along the way. According to his bio on Bandcamp, the artist’s goal is to create music that “doesn’t sound like anything else… for better or for (more likely) worse.” His latest release is certainly for the better.

Nine Places In South Buffalo is the fourteenth album in The Plot’s long musical history, and this new album brings a unique and regional flair to classical piano music. 

Track Review

One of the most enjoyable songs on the album is “Driving the skyway as the sun sets behind grain elevators.” Coming directly off of the harsh and chaotic tones of the previous track, 

“Distant windmills in Lackawanna,” it gives a sense of peace to the soul. The song sounds like sunlight, like driving down a highway in the golden hour in summer. 

While the chaos and discordance of many tracks on this album are what makes it so special, the juxtaposition of “Driving the skyward as the sun sets behind grain elevators” amongst the other tracks is a breath of fresh air that keeps the album from being too heavy and deep to stomach. 

“Concrete Central with morning fog” is a great example of a chaotic and heavier track. The piano chords are low and dark, creating an ominous atmosphere. On top of the piano are grating, higher-pitched electronic sounds. None of these tones form complete chords, but rather a discordant harmony meant to make the listener feel a bit uncomfortable.

The track isn’t unpleasant to listen to. Rather, it challenges the listener to be uncomfortable for a while, to feel the music as it was meant to be felt. The sound is an ominous mist, exactly like The Plot intended it to be. 

Not all the tracks are either chaotic or peaceful. “Flat man in winter” blends the chaos of industrial sounds with beautifully composed piano music. The harsh metallic sounds represent the bitter cold of winter as well as the metal that makes up the Flat Man statue mentioned in the title. The lilting piano melody brings out the beauty of winter, the serenity of the bright white snow that commonly piles in Buffalo, coupled with the soft sounds of winter winds. 

Each track has a different mix of harshness and softness, which plays well with the concept of the album. Mixing piano with industrial sounds combines opposing moods to make something unexpected, weird, and original. 

Verdict

I never thought I would enjoy a combination of industrial sounds and classical piano, but I loved how different this album is, especially once I understood the artist’s intentions. The Plot truly does make music that has never been done before, and while that doesn’t always make for good music, this album succeeded in making something both enjoyable and original. 

The long track titles are reminiscent of traditional classical music, where the title tells you exactly what the song is about. The title gives meaning and shape to a song, guiding the listener to the intended interpretation of the music. The Plot’s spin on this concept is part of what makes this album so interesting as a piece of classical music: It’s taking foundational aspects of classical music and making them new and original.