Lindsey, sorry I haven't posted a comment until now.
I like what you've done w/the multicolored logo & the swooshing circle around the buffalo on the black background (#6), for instance, and #8 would work for our record label, as it looks like it's on a 45. The main complaint, however, is that the buffalo looks like a statue- frozen, motionless.
Since we're talking music here, perhaps you can conceive of somehow conveying some movement?
If you haven't viewed the origirnal inspiriational image we started with, please do so:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitebuffalomusic/This image is too complex for a logo, we understand that, but it's the emotional impact we'd like to have conveyed in the logo, if that's even possible?
Keep trying & thanks for your efforts!
Chan