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I have been barricaded at home for a couple of days. It's been raining here for a week now; the disastrous weather conditions, with many mountain roads closed due to landslides and avalanches, force me to give up my usual walks "lost" in the majesty of the places where I live. It's too dangerous to venture into the snow made very heavy by the copious rain. Thus, I have time to try to relax, succeeding with my music; and I've dusted off a good part of Buffalo Tom's discography, focusing my attention on their work I prefer.
This is the album Let Me Come Over, the band's third, released in 1992. Personally, it's one of the many masterpieces I carry within me from those remarkable and unforgettable years.
When they formed in the late eighties, Boston, their city, seemed to be the capital of "alternative" American music: Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., Throwing Muses had already made significant strides in discography. Three young college friends met and initiated Buffalo Tom, immediately drawing inspiration from their already well-known compatriots and the less raucous Husker Du. Their early raw and amateur recordings circulated around Boston and ended up in the trusted hands of J. Mascis, who immediately fell in love with the noisy trio and supported them in the production phase of the still unpolished self-titled debut and also in the second album Birdbrain, which already represented a definite step forward.
Amid endless promotional tours, we reach March of 1992 and the release of Let Me Come Over. A perfect work, meticulously cared for, with tailor-made production. Bill Janovitz is the beacon, the band's reference point; leading his companions to the peak of form, introducing in many tracks that Folk component that would become a highly prized signature for subsequent records.
The deserved success will remain a distant mirage, an unattainable goal for our band; and it's a pity because Buffalo Tom had the enormous merit of writing some of the most beautiful songs of the nineties. Certainly, the terrible image on the cover did not help the band. This is, in my opinion, the only major flaw of the collection of songs present.
A collection that opens in a sumptuous way with the angry "Staples": beautifully charged guitars, noisy, on the edge of Noise from the much distortion deployed. A callback to previous works, to the unforgettable beginnings. Immediately follows what might be the best track ever recorded by the band; in fact, as far as I am concerned, I remove the term 'might' because "Taillights Fade" is my undisputed peak. A song of embarrassing simplicity; a classic electric ballad that closely resembles Neil Young. It is Bill's strained voice that becomes the protagonist, screaming the title several times towards the end...a marvel, I'll say no more.
The album is a continuous alternation of more frantic moments looking back to the past, as in the dynamic, engaging, compelling "Mountains of Your Head" and "Velvet Roof," which give way to reflective pauses, to acoustic-folkish textures that are well highlighted in "Mineral" (another episode worthy of immortality) and the long, well over five minutes, "Larry." It all ends, closed by yet another standout track: "Crutch," which opens in a somber, delicate, calm manner and continues amid sudden electric bursts and lighter, softer, enveloping textures. A ten out of ten!!!
It's a pity for the very little feedback, the mediocre sales...Here in Italy, we listened to them in four or a little more, even less on Debaser...a recent listen of mine unfortunately proves it.
Ad Maiora.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Staples (03:34)
Staple my hand
Staple my hands to my heart
Staple my hand
Staple my lips shut
Staple my hand
Staple my lips shut
I'm staying right here
I won't move 'til I'm dead
I'm staying right here
You can cut me in two instead
I'm staying right here
I won't move 'til you're dead
But you can move me over my head
I'm raking up threats here
I've left the gypsies outside
I'm make bets dear
I just woke up one morning and died
I'm staying right here
Your staples have stitched deep inside
And you can move me over my head
But you can move me over my head
But you can move me over my head
And you can move me over my head
02 Taillights Fade (03:44)
Sister can you hear me now
The ringing in your ears
I'm down on the ground
My luck's been dry for years
I'm lost in the dark
And I feel like a dinosaur
Broken face and broken hands
I'm a broken man
I've hit the wall
I'm about to fall
But I'm closing in on it
I feel so weak
On a losing streak
Watch my taillights fade to black
I read a thing about this girl
She was a hermit in her world
Her story was much like mine
She could be my valentine
And although we've never met
I won't forget her yet
She cut herself off from her past
Now she's alone at last
I feel so sick
Lost love's last licks
But I'm closing down on it
I feel so weak
On a losing streak
Watch my taillights fade to black
Lost my life in cheap wine
Now it's quiet time
Cappy Dick nor Jesus Christ
Could not help my fate
But I'm underneath a gun
I'm singing about my past
Had myself a wonderful thing
But I could not make it last
I've hit the wall
I'm about to fall
But I'm closing in on it
I feel so small
Underneath it all
Watch my taillights fade to black
..Watch my taillights fade
..Watch my taillights fade
..Watch my taillights fade
04 Mineral (04:32)
All spangled up, glittering on
There's a monster in the kitchen - his lights's turned on
Thanks for coming - it meant a lot
But you sure do know how to put me on the spot
You're so green (4x)
You came into the kitchen - a rose held high
I never want to see young flowers die
And hearing all that made me feel like a spy
To tell you any different would be to lie
You're so green (6x)
"Merry Christmas" you said to me
Empty drawers - nothing left for me
We turned around now and what did we see?
All our whispers and transparencies
You're so green (6x)
So green (3x)
05 Darl (02:50)
I'm not cryin' for ya
I'll let the angels bore ya
I'm just tryin' to understand
1,2,3,4,5 I'm callin'
Julie you just keep on walkin'
I can't laugh at all that matters
I can't sleep at night without a stare
But I'm not cryin' for ya
Is that a big box for ya
I'm just tryin' to make some change
Make some change
I am sick of your goldfish manners
I am sick of being in my head
No one talks about my problem
No one really cares if I'm not here
But I ain't cryin for ya
My greenest eyes are for ya
I'll get up and fly some...
Someday
Hold my hand and hold my temper
Hold my ticket while I go away
Cause all the earth and all the angels
All the crystal crosses are the same
They're the same
But I ain't dying for ya
Built that big box for ya
Ma I'm tryin' to pre..., to pretend
Mom, oh ... MOMMA
1,2,3,4,5 I'm calling
Julie keep on walkin'
Keep on walkin'
06 Larry (05:32)
When I sleep is when you rise
Get out of bed wipe the sleep from your eyes
I shut my eyes - all the world drops dead
Now's the time friend of mine
With a passage to
A passage from
Your daily missal
We taught that
Cat to crawl
When I sleep is when you rise
Get out of bed wipe the sleep from your eyes
My heart and soul are in your hands
Now's the time friend of mine
With a passage to
A passage from
Your daily missal
We taught that
Cat to crawl
Now's the time friend of mine
And now's the time friend of mine
07 Velvet Roof (03:55)
Here she comes across the street
But I'm already there downstairs to meet with her
She could make my life complete
But I'm already there to compete with her
Climb aboard my velvet roof
And smile showing me one golden tooth
A simple gesture yes or no
Would have been enough to let me know
Scraggly hair and messed up shoes
I'm looking all around for you
Find you in the corner bar
But you can't find the keys to your car
She's as sharp as a razor blade
But she could cut my wrists open just the same
Softer than my velvet floor
Gatherin' up the veil and going home
Scraggly hair and messed up shoes
I'm looking all around for you
Find you in the corner bar
But you can't find the keys to your car
She's as sharp as a razor blade
But she could cut my wrists open just the same
Softer than my velvet floor
Gatherin' up the veil and going home
Hey man what's the matter with
Hey man what's the matter with you
Hey man what's the matter with
Hey man what's the matter with you
Hey man what's the matter with
Hey man what's the matter with you
Hey
09 Stymied (04:18)
Broken
By words left unspoken
I thought you was joking
The words you say
Stymied
Please come untie me
You're lying right beside me
Don't lie to me
Lying
I caught you lying
You caught me trying
Don't let me catch you lying
Lazy
Open up the daisies
And lay my so lazy soul to sleep
Hoping
I was not joking
Was merely choking
The words got caught
Lying
You caught me lying
I caught you trying
Don't let me catch you lying
Lying
I caught you lying
You caught me trying
Don't let me catch you lying
Lazy
Daisy
Lazy
Daisy
Lazy
10 Porchlight (04:08)
Hey when the need becomes too strong or long
And drawn out for me to take
Like a cigarette burn to the fleshy turbines of my heart
That faded afternoon floats breezily into my memory
Cool shafts of light appear and I'm left here
Standing naked on my own
Your voice is small on my voice mail system
A million miles away
But if I turned it off
I would not hear the little things you say
"The world must chill"
And like a king I ring up old acquaintances
It's like the man says "I ain't here on business"
It's all work anyway
On any other day
They say the light has got no equal
On any other day
The date's irrelevant but she was drunk
In the heat of the June night
The faces in the windows - shouts rang out
Into dawn's early light
The flailing arms and scrambling eggs I fled
On my two shambling legs
"I gotta go" I said - they both looked dead
On any other day
On any other day
They say the light has got no equal
On any other day
On any other day
On any other day
They say the light has got no equal
On any other day
The fire blazed away
The kitchen porch was all that remained
And I'm out here alone - beat up and pissed
Until this very day
That old hotel rang back in fuzzy time
And I was ravaged to the bone
Your voice got smaller 'til I realized
It was gone
On any other day
They'd say the light has got no equal
On any other day
On any other day
I swear the light has got no equal
On any other day
I realize
I realize
It was gone
13 Crutch (04:03)
Leaving
She came along
She came a long way to see me
She came across snowy fields
Baby - I've almost grown somehow
I'm in between the coasts
But my mind
My mind must be back in Boston
And you're all above the moon
And you're all above the moon
I'm lying across the tracks
And I'm on the train ride back
Slowly - I turned to him and said
"Well if I'm not yet dead then surely
this must be killing me instead"
Turning - I am turning blue
In this bar with you but my mind
Must be back in San Francisco
And you're all above the moon
And you're all above the moon
I'm lying across the tracks
And I'm on the train ride back
And I'm in between the cars
And I'm in between the stars
And you're all above the moon
And you're all above the moon
Highways - my head is loose at last
The radio's on full blast
And I'm rolling
In a midnight Chevrolet
Snowdust - I'm caught dead in the night
The stars and fire light
The sky a jewel
I believe I'm back in Boston
And you're all above the moon
And you're all above the moon
I'm lying across the tracks
And I'm on the train ride back
And I'm in between the cars
And I'm in between the stars
And you're all across the moon
And you're all above the moon
And you're all across the moon
And you're all above the moon
The Moon
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