Those looking for music that’s got strong connections to classic rock, but still feels quite original, will want to have a listen to this CD. The music presented feels familiar, but never seems to be a direct clone of anything. Bud Buckley manages to weave a musical tapestry that nods to a lot of other music while still feeling quite original and unique. Musical references as wide ranging as Paul Simon, The Eagles, Steve Miller Band, Blue Oyster Cult and Pink Floyd are valid here.
No matter the musical territory journeyed through on each individual track, Buckley stays true to his musical vision. Nothing here ever feels out of place. It’s a great slice of Americana that has a very short learning curve and provides a lot of entertainment along the way.
Even the musicians playing with Buckley have serious pedigrees. Most notably Ross Rice, who plays the Hammond B3 has played with Peter Frampton, Steve Earle and more and drummer Dan Hickey has played with The B-52s, They Might Be Giants and Cyndi Lauper (among others).
There’s a killer soulful, classic rock sound to the opening cut, “Had to Pretend.” The organ sound is classic and the guitar soloing is tasteful and tasty. It’s also quite bluesy. The classic rock sounds are still present on the next tune, “I Need,” but it’s a different slice of sounds. The opening feels like The Eagles, but the vocals are more like Paul Simon. There are hints of Latin music present and perhaps even a little country.
A slower cut, “It’s Been Fun” really emphasizes that Paul Simon element. The vocal arrangement and musical arrangement also call to mind such bands as America and even The Steve Miller Band at times. A rather balladic cut, “Safe In My Dreams” is perhaps less directly related to the sounds of any particular artist (not that the other tracks were really derivative at all), but rather generally classic rock oriented. At times some of the mellower sounds by Blue Oyster Cult seems a valid reference, but this also has sounds that call to mind Pink Floyd and other progressive rock bands. It’s also bluesy and has a soulful groove to it.
The first bonus track, “A Way” originally appeared on Buckley’s 2009 EP entitled “Sitting on the Wind.” There are some island type sounds and the vocal feels very much like something from Paul Simon. In some ways the mellow motifs that hold this one together feel like some of the ethereal sounds from Pink Floyd, particularly on their “Meddle” album.
The final track of the set is “Keeping Secrets.” It’s another bonus tune and originally appeared on the 2007 CD, It’s About Time. It’s essentially an acoustic rocker with some Latin elements at points. The references to Paul Simon are again somewhat valid here. The organ sound is tasty, too. The violin (provided by DeniBonet who has played with Cyndi Lauper, R.E.M., Sarah McLachlan and Robyn Hitchcock) also adds a nice touch.
Bud Buckley shows with this release that he can create sounds that manage to entertain and charm while still oozing with familiar musical elements. He manages to make the listener think of different artists without specifically referencing any. The only real complaint is that the disc is too short. Of course, leaving the listener wanting for more is preferable to creating an album that drags on too long. The bonus tracks will likely find fans looking to pick up the older releases. Yes, the music is that good.
Review by Gary Hill
Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)
