Search - Donna the Buffalo :: Positive Friction

Donna the Buffalo does it again!

06/25/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Take a little bit of Nashville, mix it with Kingston, New Orleans and San Francisco, then add a sprinkling of an upbeat 80's sound. What do you get? Donna the Buffalo - the world's greatest band! This 4th cd of theirs is a real winner. It has a slightly less produced sound than their other cd's, presenting the band in a way that is closer to what you'll hear at their live shows. The songwriting by both Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear is outstanding, as is usual with these artists. And as those who love this band have come to expect, the musicianship on the cd is excellent. Musically, two things stand out that make this cd different from the band's previous releases: Tara plays little or no accordion here, which lessens the Zydeco influence on the band's sound; and Jeb plays pedal steel guitar on several songs, something which he's done a little of on previous work but which is really highlighted here. The cd opens with "No place like the right time",a lilting country style song by Tara that shows off her beautiful voice. Next comes "Movin' On" by Jeb, an up-tempo and sort of hard-edged number with a strong beat and engagingly nihilistic lyrics. Next is "Yonder", by Tara, a song that seems to offer her reflections on the wisdom of yearning for things. The fourth cut is a candidate for the best one on the cd, in my opinion: it's "Riddle of the Universe" by Jeb. This song is one of those that highlights his pedal-steel playing, and it has one of my favorite lyrics ever: 'Let's build a fortress of happiness by the river with all of the happiness that we can find'. There is a light-hearted feel to this song that reminds me of some of The Band's work. I love it! Next we get a Tara song called "Front Porch". One of the best things about this band is the way they blend many different styles of music together. This song brings out the best of their reggae side; believe it or not, I compare its feeling to the best of Marley's work. Following this are two songs that really go together: "In another World" and "Revolution". I can't say enough good things about these songs. "In another World" shows Jeb at his metaphysical best as a lyricist, and it's persistent beat provides a great background for some extended instrumental jams. "Revolution" is one of those simple but powerful songs that just works. It has a calypso feel to it, and the question it raises about the revolution is a powerful one: "could it be the seeds are growing inside of you?" Great stuff, mind-blowing really. What follows this is a very strong Tara song, "Family Picture". This is a straight-ahead rock song with a compelling beat. After this comes the title track, really a gem. If any song off of this album gets Donna the Buffalo more exposure it will be this one. "Positive Friction" has a rhythm that reminds me of some African music, with a heavy accent placed on the first beat of each measure. And once again Jeb comes through with fantastic lyrics, very positive indeed: "Positive friction, under the upper-crust/What does all this Hollywood really have to do with us?/True grit, timeless love, there's no reason to pretend/Let's get together and become natural once again." This is one of those timeless gems that just makes you want to get up and dance. After this comes "Man of Constant Sorrow", a traditional country tune sung by Jim Miller, the band's second guitarist (and Tara's husband). Jim has a great singing voice and acquits himself quite admirably here. The song is a great example of how the feeling of reggae colors a lot of what this band is about - even in a country setting. Track 11 is "I wish you love", a song by Tara that the band released on years ago on a self-produced tape. It's nice to hear the updated version of this song. It has a very light, almost calliope-like feeling to it. Then we get "Arrows Pointing Sideways", another upbeat Jeb song that is both highly danceable and filled with great lyrical observations. I always get the feeling with Jeb's lyrics that the guy is seriously keyed in to the absurdity of our life here on earth but is eager and willing to make light of it all anyway. This song seems to be about how nothing is really clear to us, the mixed signals we get from life being just like "arrows pointing sideways". It hopefully raises the refrain, "maybe things will be better next time around". The disc closes with "Your way Home", a hauntingly beautiful song by Tara (with some lyrics by Jeb too). So all in all a great album by a great band. If you like to dance you need to see this band live. "Positive Friction" has less open-ended jamming than the band puts into its live shows. But it's a very powerful statement by this band out of upstate New York, a cd that certainly deserves to get a lot of airplay and will hopefully bring them more attention than their previous releases. Get it today and join the growing herd!"

A long, long wait has paid off

02/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first saw this band at Riverbend in Chattanooga and my cynical musical heart skipped a beat. I couldn't believe I was hearing music this original, this fun, this RIGHT. I am a wandering pilgrim of a Deadhead, and I have been so disappointed in all the vane attempts other bands have made to try to capture that musical magic that it has left me wondering if there was any music out there that would ever grab my attention again. Phish was sophomoric and forgettable, ditto moe., Widespread Panic completely escaped me, etc. etc. These bands would pop up on the horizon, offer lame lyrics and forgettable monotonous melodies, and I wondered if any band could get it right. Well, Donna the Buffalo got it right. This is a great album to start with, in my opinion. I did, and I'm a serious fan now. The music is so incredibly addictive and listenable that it didn't leave my CD player for weeks after I got it. They can (gasp!) write gorgeous melodies!! They can (imagine!) construct interesting and poetic lyrics that actually make sense! I couldn't believe my ears. Music I hummed again, all day long. Little turns of phrase that crept into my speech and thoughts. What a refreshing thing. Try this band out on this or any other of their discs. This one is as good as any. But I've never heard a band (except for one) that had this much quality stuff to lay on the table. Enjoy, and eat hearty."

Still rumbling along

mr_fishscales | Rochester, New York | 12/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm going to disagree with my fellow Rochesterian and say that this is a good DTB album with which to start, if you haven't heard them before. It was recorded live in the studio, so it managed to capture the headlong-but-relaxed feel of their live shows better than any previous album. The title cut, "Positive Friction", is one of the best Jeb Puryear songs yet. He generally comes up with at least one anthemic epic per album (e.g., "Conscious Evolution" on Rockin' in the Weary Land and "Mystic Water" on The Ones You Love) and this is the brawniest one yet. In this band Tara writes the pop songs and Jeb writes the rock songs. They are both excellent songwriters and the polarity of their styles is part of what broadens the appeal of the band and also creates the tension that is at least part of what makes their live shows worth seeing.DTB beat the Coen Brothers to the punch with their re-recording of "A Man of Constant Sorrow" and Jim Miller does as good a job with the song as Norman Blake did on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.Check out DTB's website to pick up their new double live CD. Then you will *really* know what all the fuss is about."