Artist: Tom Levin
Album: Them Buffalo
Review by Andrea Guy
Tom Levin returns with his sixth album Them Buffalo. His deep,
rich voice is the first thing you notice, then you notice the music. It is
impossible to pinpoint the style of Tom's music. There's a touch of the 80s in
several of his songs, while the lyrics have a Dylan-equse vibe. The combination
of the two make for a very unique listening experience.
The first single from Them
Buffalo is “More Than A Song.” This is pure pop bliss that will take you
back to the 80s. The guitar riff is reminiscent of Big Country, with some U2
thrown in for good measure. The chorus is sing-a-long catchy.
Tom's voice is an acquired taste. It is by no means
beautiful, but the same can be said for artists like Nick Cave, Bob Dylan and
Elvis Costello. You can draw comparisons to any of these artists and Tom, as
well. The mane thing they share in common, is songwriting.
The album's opening track “Thunder On” is the song that ties
in with the album's title. The
lyrics“Thunder on young buffalo” will probably still have a few heads shaking,
but the guitar riff will keep you from dwelling on a song about buffalo.
The trippy “Mind's Eye” can only be described as
psychedelic. The arrangement is hypnotic and mystical.
The most playful song is “Everyday.” This song shows a
lighter side to Tom Levin. It is a
lively fun, feel good song, complete with a few whistles and quirky lyrics.
“Little things show me the way, everyday.” and “Like Junior's with his new
Crayola's drawing squiggles on the wall.”
The vocals are full of passion and energy. This is one song
that will stick with you long after you've finished listening.
Tom does a 360 with “History, Beliefs and Bearded Men.” This
is a song that must be listened to and not just heard. This is song is spiritual in nature. The
lyrics are simple “Beyond history, beliefs and bearded me, you'll find your own
Jerusalem.”
“Different Drum” is an acoustic masterpiece. It comes with
hand claps and a laid back vocal that seems to glide into your ears. The song
has a simple arrangement. The acoustic
guitar is the most prominent instrument here, until the end when the saxophone
takes over.
“Girl From Nova Scotia” has the poetic angst that can often
be associated with Elvis Costello's lyrics. It leaves you wondering how you can
“hate you in a beautiful way.”
“Schizo” is the album's shining star. Tom sings about having
many personalities while not being schizophrenic. There's a jab at Kanye West
here too, that might leave you chuckling. Tom's voice is perfect here, singing
in the low registers.
“Summered” returns to a more laid back melody that borders
on the unusual. The backing vocals seem slightly off in a slightly creepy way,
that tells you that's how they were meant to sound.
The album closes with “Margaret's House” which sees Tom
sharing the spotlight with Aimee Bobruk, who co-wrote the song with Tom as well
as Thunder On and Everyday. Once again, you get to see a different side of Tom.
His voice is deep and romantic here and it blends beautifully with Aimee's. The
song is atmospheric, slow and bittersweet.
Tom Levin is an artist that has grown consistently with each
album. His songwriting gets better and better. If he has an album out in any
given year, it is bound to be one of that year's best, and Them Buffalo is no exception.
Don't let 2014 go by without giving this album a listen.
Rating: 5 out of
5 stars
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