Sunday, September 10, 2006

Buffalo Tom

Late start today... I know, I know but the Buckeyes did win last night. I'll make it up to ya somehow when I am not so hungover... In the meantime here is a favorite band I wrote up while holding ice on my head, drinking massive amounts of water and swallowing Advil tablets.













There are only a few bands from the past that have a place in my top 10 (of all time) list and this is one of them. I guess it all depends on being at the right place at the right time. I remember arriving to a party just after High School in 1988 and hearing what seemed like some unfamiliar Dinosaur Jr. sounding songs. I was instantly taken with this lo-fi rock and spent the remainder of the evening marveling over the cassette case and insert while the party went on around me. I was at the record shop the very next day and found my own copy. Sometimes things are just meant to happen and this was the extension I needed to remove myself from the post-Hüsker Dü music depression funk I was in. This was the real deal. Today's featured song is from the band's sophomore album Birdbrain that was released two years later in 1990. If you ask most any fan of this band that is around my age, you will find that Buffalo Tom only really had 3 full length releases in (self titled) Buffalo Tom, Birdbrain and Let Me Come Over What followed would be an Aaron Spelling style 90210 catastrophe that can only be likened to what I would term "The Soul Asylum Effect". Yes this means they appeared on trendy 90's media shows that I cannot remember the names of. Does anyone know what Claire Danes is up to these days?












Joking aside, this is probably one of the best bands of the late 80s and early 90s. If you don't have any of the above mentioned releases you now have a mission. Boston, Massachusetts based power trio Buffalo Tom started making music in 1986 with the help of Dinosaur Jr. founder J. Mascis. The band is still active and you can check them out at the Buffalo Tom website. There is also a really well done website for the band's past and present endeavors at The Kitchen Door. Being the consummate MySpacer, I also found what I think is a fan profile for Buffalo Tom. There are some later downloadable songs there so hit them up! If you feel so inclined the is also a yahoo group dedicated to what we used to refer to as "buff tom". Just to put a little bird in your ear, there will be a follow up to this band tomorrow with a cover song that might blow your mind. Stay tuned and keep checking back.













I suppose I should repost this ticket stub for you... Please visit the original post this ticket belongs to. Another great band awaits!!















MP3: Birdbrain (1990)
Bonus MP3: Cupid Come

4 comments:

HRH Courtney, Queen of Everything said...

Dude... Buffalo Tom are one of the best Boston band EVER. Great pick.

Anonymous said...

Los Angeles #1 indie radio station loves Buffalo Tom. They get played at least once a day on Indie 103.1 FM

Anonymous said...

Hey
Buffalo Tom played at a party in the basement of this house where i used to live. It was 1989-90. Moraine street in Jamaica Plain. Good times, thanks for the post. -- andrew

Anonymous said...

gr8 to see the boys back. Been a long time. hope canadian tour in the works