What's your favorite Richard Buckner cd?

[Swish]

Yeah, I'm guessing many of you don't have any of his music, and if you don't, you're missing out on an amazing artist. I listened to Devotion + Doubt yesterday evening and, aside from the great tunes, the sonic quality of the recording is also a step above the norm. Bloomed was my early favorite, edged out by Meadow until I heard D +D. His lyrics are pure genius, and his unique, expressive voice delivers time after time.

I know Slosh and Davey are fans, but anybody else? I know he has about 3 or 4 other cds out there, and I plan to buy the others in short order.

Swishdaddy

[ForeverAutumn]

Who's Davey?

I'll check him out. Thanks.

[bobsticks]

I love Meadow and Bloomed...I haven't had the pleasure to sample D + D yet though I'm always keeping my eyes out.

Clunky aberrations from the norm; staunch objectors to the compression/volume wars...I tend to think of Buckner's stuff with the same reverance you hold for Rich Fontaine.

[ForeverAutumn]

Hey, is this the same guy that makes the awful tasting cough syrup?

[bobsticks]

Nnooo...but I've given people shots of Epicac before and told 'em it was Jagermeister.

[Swish]

I love Meadow and Bloomed...I haven't had the pleasure to sample D + D yet though I'm always keeping my eyes out.

Clunky aberrations from the norm; staunch objectors to the compression/volume wars...I tend to think of Buckner's stuff with the same reverance you hold for Rich Fontaine.

...and have to say it's absolute bliss. I didn't realize it was the # 4 record in the UK that year, which was 2004, ten years after the band was founded. Uncut called it 'a masterpiece', and they were correct.

[bobsticks]

He is, without a doubt, a wordsmith...evoking feelings, primal moods, and colors. I'll add P2W to the list.

[Rae]

I know Slosh and Davey are fans, but anybody else? I know he has about 3 or 4 other cds out there, and I plan to buy the others in short order.

I feel wounded!

Yeah, I owe all credit to Davey for discovering this guy but I've got his whole catalog in some form and I've seen him 3 or 4 times in concert now. My personal favorite is The Hill, the song cycle that he did to Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology, but there isn't a record of his that I don't appreciate in some way.

I've put together a pretty good Richard Buckner comp that I've given away to half a dozen friends... I'm not in a place right now where I could commit to sending it out, but if anyone felt like piecing it together on their own, here's the track list:

Pretty Destroyed: Selected Richard Buckner
1. Blue and Wonder [Bloomed]
2. Six Years [Bloomed]
3. Gauzy Dress in the Sun [Bloomed]
4. Lil' Wallet Picture [Devotion + Doubt]
5. A Goodbye Rye [Devotion + Doubt]
6. Song of 27 [Devotion + Doubt]
7. Ariel Ramirez [Since]
8. Jewelbomb [Since]
9. Pico [Since]
10. Boys, the Night Will Bury You [Since]
11. Mrs. Merritt / Tom Merritt / Elmar Karr [The Hill]
12. Elizabeth Childers [The Hill]
13. Reuben Pantier / Emily Sparks [The Hill]
14. Remainder [Impasse-ette EP]
15. Loaded at the Wrong Door [Impasse]
16. Grace-I'd-Said-I'd-Known [Impasse]
17. Born Into Giving It Up [Impasse]
18. (a year ahead) ...and a light [Impasse]
19. A Chance Counsel [Dents & Shells]
20. Firsts [Dents & Shells]
21. Straight [Dents & Shells]
22. Town [Meadow]
23. Lucky [Meadow]
24. Before [Meadow]
25. The Tether and the Tie [Meadow]

~Rae

[ForeverAutumn]

I feel wounded!

My personal favorite is The Hill, the song cycle that he did to Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology.

Now, I am totally intrigued. It's rare to find someone who's even heard of Spoon River Anthology, this guy wrote a CD about it?

[jonnyhambone]

D + D is my fave too but I've only heard half his output or so. The Hill needs to be next on my list though - I'm a big fan of Spoon River Anthology and don't know why I haven't picked this up yet..
He's pretty captivating live too - runs his guitar thru a loop/effects pedal and then plays with himself.

if you know what I mean...

[Rae]

He's pretty captivating live too - runs his guitar thru a loop/effects pedal and then plays with himself. if you know what I mean...

I believe Jonnyhambone and I have been at the same Richard Buckner show at least once... at the Turf Club?

~Rae

[jonnyhambone]

yep...I believe we intended to swill a beer together.
coming clean admission: I thought you were a chick at the time - from your avatar and handle - no wonder I didn't see you there!... (not that I was trying to meet you like that - was there with my prego. wife..). Good show though. Will be at Ween this wkend., Hold Steady next wkend. and The National in Aug. Any other good summer Twin City shows on yr. list?

[Swish]

I feel wounded!

Yeah, I owe all credit to Davey for discovering this guy but I've got his whole catalog in some form and I've seen him 3 or 4 times in concert now. My personal favorite is The Hill, the song cycle that he did to Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology, but there isn't a record of his that I don't appreciate in some way.

~Rae

Out of sight...

[Rae]

Will be at Ween this wkend., Hold Steady next wkend. and The National in Aug. Any other good summer Twin City shows on yr. list?

I debated real hard with myself about scraping together the dough to see Devo at the Zoo next weekend, but in the end $58 per ticket was too much to justify. I'll probably see Lucero there later in the summer. Mirah is at the Cedar next Thursday but I think it's an early show and I work second shift. I've also got tickets to Lightning Bolt at the Triple Rock in July which it turns out will be the farewell show for local openers Knife World. I'm also planning to see a reunited Hammerhead along with Melvins, Boss Hog, the Thrown Ups, Today is the Day, God Bullies, Vaz, and a bunch of other old dudes at the AmRep 25th Anniversary Party in August, although I've still got to get tickets. Other than that, not much on my radar.

~Rae

[Davey]

Well there ya go, long time gone, but man, you guys are right about that, one of the best trilogies in rock music. Along with The Hill and Meadow, easily my most listened to artist of the last 20 years.

I started out with Bloomed all those many years ago. Fantastic little record, I kind of rediscovered how much I loved it after picking up Meadow a coupla so years ago (wow, has it been 4 years since the last record already, where ya been Richard?), then digging out the debut from 1995 on DejaDisc and being amazed all over again how great it is, music, performance, musicians, recording, mastering, one of my favorites of the 90s. I have the later loud and compressed Ryko remaster with the bonus tracks too, cause ya always need the bonus tracks (actually they aren't even from the same session so maybe not), but I think to really get the full picture, you need the original. It's just so much more relaxed sounding, like real music, with color, texture and dynamics. The shimmer and the shake.

The next is one of my alltime favorites. Devotion + Doubt was the first of his short two-record trip to the major labels, but still sounds great too, nice recording down at Wavelab with lots of dynamics, mastered quiet so you have to turn it way up, and then it gets really good. Easy to get lost. And another set of top notch players with backup by Joey and John from Calexico, and their previous boss from Giant Sand, Howe Gelb, along with Lloyd Maines and Marc Ribot and a couple others. The chronicle of romantic disintegration, the divorce record, painful but hard to resist for the thought provoking words and compelling music. And always that voice.

And then to complete the trilogy, Since. More of a rocker, a little louder mastering so not quite up there with the first two for great sound quality, but he might've even made a bit of money off it later from the VW commercial a few years ago during the Olympics that used the sad lullaby "Ariel Ramirez". Caused quite a few music lovin' people to jump on the internet to search for who it was. They changed it a bit for the ad, edited it to make it less about the pain, and the loss, and the escape in drugs, but it's still a beautiful song in any form, even while knocking around in my head.

But yea, D+D is just about perfect on my scale, one for the ages, woulda been a classic in earlier times, such a nice recording and mastering job too. And no surprise, but that one is in my headlight again today, the song "Figure" has always knocked me out, and always will....

well, you can take your friend along, say you'll be back later tonight
oh, but if I had your little two-time figure, close just one last time...


He made a trip to Daytrotter earlier this year...


http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/richard...1095-5855.html

[3LB]

hey Davey, been doing well?

great to see you

[bobsticks]

Whattup, ya big pile o' Monkey wonder...

[3LB]

a comp

maybe you could upload it (320kbps will do)

uploading is never having to say you're sorry

[Swish]

the song "Figure" has always knocked me out, and always will....

well, you can take your friend along, say you'll be back later tonight
oh, but if I had your little two-time figure, close just one last time...

I'm going to get lost in that tonight. Heading out to visit with an old friend who's visiting from the Philippines. There should be about 10 of us there, drinking IPAs, shooting the breeze, eating crappy pub grub...then home to 'get lost'. Ahh.

Don't be a stranger, stranger.

[Slosh]

How about Marah? They are one of those bands I often read about but never listened. Someone at obner posted a link to the new leaked album (Life Is A Problem) in the twentyten thread. Good alt-country/roots-rock stuff ala Old 97s, Wilco, etc. Maybe a little more on the rock side. Based on that I just grabbed the Kids In Philly and If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry CDs. See, who says pirated music doesn't lead directly to album sales?

What does this have to do with Richard Buckner? Nothing at all!

[3LB]

How about Marah? They are one of those bands I often read about but never listened. Someone at obner posted a link to the new leaked album (Life Is A Problem) in the twentyten thread. Good alt-country/roots-rock stuff ala Old 97s, Wilco, etc. Maybe a little more on the rock side. Based on that I just grabbed the Kids In Philly and If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry CDs. See, who says pirated music doesn't lead directly to album sales?

What a coinkydink, I done heared Angels Of Destruction by Marah just a few weeks ago - roots rockers, kinda reminded me of Gaslight Anthem (I just heard their new one, American Slang). Both these bands remind me of The Killers minus the synths. Marah might be a tad more jangly.