BUFFALO NICKEL: Noise and Conversation

Buffalo Nickel

Noise and Conversation

© 2004 Plowhandle Records (823202101128)

Rock-n-roll + white trash blues + honky tonk + a dash of humor = HONK-N-ROLL

notes

Mississippi's own Buffalo Nickel have been writing and performing together since 1999. They have taken their brand of honk-n-roll music from Austin, TX, to New York City.

Their second CD release "Noise and Conversation" features guest performances from Cary Hudson (formerly of Blue Mountain) and Suzy Elkins. This collection of fifteen Americana originals contains the work of six songwriters, including four songs by the late Emily Graham, to whom the CD is dedicated.

Their first record "Up On Blocks" peaked at #66 on the radio airplay chart of the Americana Music Association and was also on the AMA's "most added" list. Likewise, they charted on XM Radio's country station. Most recently, in April 2004, the band won first place in the "Battle Of The Country Bands" sponsored by radio station B-95 in Hattiesburg.

In 2003, Buffalo Nickel had a track on CMJ's "Certain Damage" compilation ( #130) and their song "I Am Evil" was featured in the closing credits to the indie film "Eden's Curve" which was screened at film festivals around the country as well as overseas. Also, they were favorably reviewed in "Roots Town" and "Freight Train Boogie," and they received glowing recognition from Fred Migliore on his syndicated radio program "FM Odyssey."

Buffalo Nickel has opened for the Star Room Boys, Leon Russell, Charlie Mars, Luther Wright & The Wrongs, the Doobie Brothers, Confederate Railroad, Cary Hudson, Cookout, Mike West, and is scheduled to open for Loretta Lynn later this year.

reviews

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  • Good Rockin' Country & Great Country Rock
    author: Mike S

    Real solid cd. Includes the lyric of the year: "I guess I never watched enough Scooby Doo to figure out what this is all about" in the song Can't Say Anything. Good blend of uptempo and slower songs, and that category doesn't even include 'Twangalang', which sounds like the kind of country song Jim Croce would write. Good enough where I'm gonna go back and get their 1st CD while I wait for #3 to come out.

  • Evokes the Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"
    author: Blue Suede News #69 (Winter 04/05)

    If there's a contest to see which band evokes the Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" LP, this one should run fairly high. [This CD is] jangly Country Rock with occasional ethereal Psychedelic guitar effects and nice vocal harmonies. . . . This band deserves the attention of all followers of that late 60's version of Country Rock . . . Quite well-done.

  • A Definite Car-cruising Candidate
    author: Matt Merta, Twangcast

    This disc has the instrumental sound that makes countrified roots-rock good and tasty. No overpowering stuff, just the right touch with everything, including pedal steel whines, 12-string jangles, and tic-tac bass grunts. It definitely shows that these guys have the goods at being a great honky-tonk band. Another great mark of this band is the equal division of lead vocals between three singers. It is totally reminiscent of 10-5-60-era Long Ryders. The second and third cuts, “Can’t Say Anything” and “Out of the Picture,” are as near perfection to what Gram Parson would want in a sound. The fourth cut, “Family Man,” has some excellent trading of lead vocals to a great Bakersfield drive. Fellow Mississippian Cary Hudson (solo, Blue Mountain) helps out vocally on some tracks, and the overall mix comes across as totally what Hudson was attempting in his early projects. The songwriting is fresh without being too intense, and the sound ranges from Foster & Lloyd county-pop to Nashville Skyline-era Dylan. This disc is a definite car-cruising candidate. Buffalo Nickel has the tools needed to be a fantastic roots-rock band that everyone can be satisfied with.

  • A band who can transcend so many genres
    author: Ryan Clark, The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS

    Can one band showcase the sounds of Counting Crows, Tom Petty and Nickel Creek in different songs? Buffalo Nickel is trying, and I think it's working. It's rare to find a band who can transcend so many genres, and Buffalo Nickel can go from alt-country to rock to pure Western with the change of a chord. And it never gets boring — you want to keep listening, trying to guess what it may do next. They rock on Find Me a Crowd and Can't Say Anything Wrong, where they even sound a bit like The Wallflowers. But for the most part, this band wants to play it straight country. They pull together lovely banjos and mandolins on songs like Devil. And the most radio-friendly tune, Just Had a Feeling, is so country-pop it sounds like Rascal Flatts could have produced it. They have tons of talent and enough versatility and marketability to score hits like any of the aforementioned bands. But will the public, hearing so many sounds at once, go for it? I think they will.

  • In the tradition of the best of American music
    author: Eric Stracener, Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

    From the glowing country-rock jangle of “Find Me A Crowd” to the dance-hall twang of “Out Of The Picture,” the record is steeped in the tradition of the best of American music. While different songs may evoke The Byrds or Graham Parsons, the collection maintains a decidedly original and coherent feel. Fans will remember Emily Graham, former guitarist and singer with the band, who was killed in a car accident around the time of Buffalo Nickel’s excellent debut release. Graham’s songs are prominently featured on “Noise and Conservation.” Deaton says Graham was the best songwriter. “She was always writing, very prolific, and when she died, she left a tub full of great songs.” Fans of Emily Graham will find solace in gems like “Can’t Say Anything” and “Walkin'." Brad Clark, Deaton and Clinton Kirby are all extremely capable multi-instrumentalists, handling instruments as diverse as accordion, banjo, pedal steel, keyboards and guitars. Chris Clark and Elliot Crawford play bass and drums, respectively, and are an excellent rhythm section, letting the band rock or swing as the song dictates. Overall, “Noise and Conversation” has an earthy sound: the guitars chime, the pedal steel wails and the vocals are direct, honest and true.

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