Four years ago, when Kieran West started forming what would later become Kieran West and His Buffalo Band, the singer-songwriter’s intentions weren’t exactly ambitious. 

“It was really just because I was in love with the band Little House,” West says, speaking of the on-again off-again indie rock outfit from Matlock, Man. whose members include folkster Micah Erenberg and Somebody Language frontman Ben Figler. 

“They were my favourite band in the whole world, and I just wanted to be in Little House. I started hanging out with them and showed them my songs. One day Ben said, ‘Let’s do stuff as Kieran West and Little House.’ Sort of like Jim Bryson and The Weakerthans.” 

That initial collaboration evolved into The Buffalo Band, a rotating roster of as many as nine musicians who make up West’s alt-country ensemble. Their 2014 Riverwood Avenue EP has gained the band acclaim in both indie and country-blues circles, as well as a ubiquitous presence on the summer festival circuit. 

West’s Osborne Village home, which he and his partner have shared since January of this year, has quickly become an important productive space for the couple. 

“It’s nice for us to have a place where we can feel free and independent,” West says. “We wanted a space where I could be creative and she could study, and we really love this place. We have the river and a hockey rink just outside.” 

 

1) HEIRLOOM CHEST/TICKLE TRUNK 

“We use this as a table. When my mom was a teenager, my great-grandma decided that every woman in the family should have a chest. She got one for my mom, my aunt and their cousins. This was super cool when I was a kid. We’d keep all our costumes in it and they’re still in here. This is our tickle trunk.” 

 

2) BUFFALO SHOWER CURTAIN 

“It’s a personalized shower curtain, but it’s also from IKEA, so it’s as impersonal as you can get.”

 

3) CHORD ORGAN 

“My mom got me this for Christmas last year. She found it in an antique store and it wasn’t in the greatest condition. All the little holes (in the grill) were super dirty, so she cleaned every single one with a Q-Tip. It’s really cool. Air moves through it. It’s basically an electric accordion.” 

 

4) WALL OF ART 

“This is a collection we wanted to do. There’s some local art in here, which is important to us. Some are by an artist named Kal Barteski. Some are (birthday and Christmas) cards by a friend, Rachel Hammerback. The other two are by Kristen Aleida.” 

 

5) RECORD COLLECTION 

“When I was a kid, my dad had the hugest record collection, so I got into collecting when I was really young. This is all alphabetical and by genre. My two favourites are Meat Puppet’s II and Bruce Springsteen’s Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. This is a very specific pressing of (Springsteen’s) first record where the postcard on the cover actually comes off, and the lyrics and stuff are on the inside.” 

Published in Volume 70, Number 9 of The Uniter (November 5, 2015)