Search - Buffalo Tom :: Birdbrain

Glorious and wonderful album!

Kim D | Chicago IL United States | 12/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is a very good chance you will love this album, no matter who you are. I am not a professional music reviewer, just a regular person, but here goes:This album has a guitar-heavy, raw sound. It could almost be described as "pre-grunge." But don't let that description scare you away from this wonderful album.The singer's voice is not very good, but somehow that doesn't really matter too much. The song writing is great and the tunes are catchy but not cheesy. No bad lyrics to make you cringe, no stinker songs to make you run for the "skip" button. All the songs sound different, but form a unified whole. It's the kind of album I call "comfort food," I just relax into the familar sounds of the album and let the pleasure wash over me. I've listened to this album a lot (I've owned it for nine years!) and never get tired of it, like I have with so many other albums. It's the kind of album you will probably listen to for decades. It's really surprising that this album isn't in more people's collections."

A must for anyone with ears.

Kim D | 06/02/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A seminal record..and a masterpiece. From the brutally rocking title track to the heartbreaking rawness of "Enemy" there is not a misstep in this smart album. This is the blueprint for the brilliance that followed (their next record, "Let Me Come Over" is an ultimate record of the 90s) and it was produced by J. Mascis and contains a GREAT version of the Furs' tune "Heaven" and a terrific acoustic version of "Reason Why" from the first record. A must for anyone with ears."

Could be their finest album

Joseph Murphy | 09/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like the Meat Puppets, Buffalo Tom makes a three-piece rock band sound vivid and relevant, never boring and much greater than the sum of its parts. Listen to the rhythm work in "Caress". Simple, yet top notch and clever. The title track and "Guy Who Is Me" are solid rockers."Birdbrain" is a quantum leap from their first, somewhat monchromatic, self-titled disc. Janovitz is a hell of a songwriter, even if he's not a guitar hero (witness any distorted, feedbacked-laden freakout on this album or "Let Me Come Over"... nothing to write home about). His writing will get even better with "Let Me Come Over"."