On May 06, the Atlanta-based band Los Buenos will issue their first full-length release, Go for Broke at the Star Bar. Recorded over the last two months at their home studio, the album expands upon their unique style that's been described as something akin to Elvis Costello and the Violent Femmes with a hint of old school spaghetti Western.

Formed in July 2009, the band features bassist and singer Justin Sias (ex-Batata Doce, ex-Elevado), keyboardist Dave Batterman (Choking Sun), drummer Todd Morrison (ex-Batata Doce, ex-Pistolero) and newcomer Stephen Rafter on lead guitar. With combination of bilingual lyrics, acoustic guitars and Mario Brother's Nintendo-style keys, Los Buenos strays far from the usual indie fray.

As neighbors and good friends, Sias and Rafter have known each other for some time, though it was only by chance on a lazy Sunday afternoon they came together musically.  
"I heard some tricky bluegrass sounds coming from the porch," Sias said. "I didn't even know Stephen played guitar, and I asked him who wrote it, he said he was just making it up. I came up with some lyrics, and the whole thing came together very naturally."

And as spontaneously as Sias and Rafter began playing did the rest of the band form. Sias pulled in drummer Morrison, having worked together when both were a part of the now-defunct ensemble Batata Doce. A professional photographer, Batterman volunteered to shoot the band, but was soon asked to join Los Buenos after the band heard his extensive piano and pedal steel guitar skills.

The ten-song album mostly avoids the usual subject of love, and instead largely character driven, painting portraits of complex individuals who are illustrated through instrumentation. For example, "Where's the Money Gone" looks at a man who spends his entire family fortune with reckless abandon, only to end up tricking himself and all of his friends into thinking he is terminally ill, when in reality his ailments are due to excessive drinking and a never-ending hangover. The album ends with the "Los Buenos Theme Song," a melancholic anthem in which the main character in the song crashes and burns, never to be seen again. 

Unfortunately, the same may be said about Los Buenos, as their album release show is the last Atlanta date, with guitarist and songwriter Rafter moving to Israel in early June. While the other members of the band will continue playing together, the May 06 show is the city's last chance to see the original Los Buenos line-up.
  
Pine Magazine is sponsoring the show, which will also feature Grand Prize Winners from Last Year, Tom Cheshire and the All Nighters, the Back Pockets and What Happened to Your Fire, Tiger?

What: Los Buenos Album Release Party
When: May 06 at 9 p.m.
Where: Star Bar, 437 Moreland Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
Details: Pine Magazine is sponsoring the free show, which is 21 and over. Look for extensive multimedia coverage soon in Pine.