Skins

Best BT album since Red Letter Day. All my CDs become mp3s without ever even being played so, getting the vinyl and a free download of the mp3 album just makes sense. Red Letter Day, in it's day, would never have been purchased on vinyl, which is a strange leap. Max present and max past, nothing in- between.

It is easy to forget that Boston had a thriving alternative music scene in the 80's and 90's with the likes of O Positive, Tribe, Heretix and Morphine to name a few. Along with those great bands Buffalo Tom offered and represented the best in local scene music that really should have been more recognized on a national scale for the quality of music output during that time. I have Buffalo Tom's first release "Let Me Come Over" and will play it when nostalgic for the sounds of that era. But I have been wrong. That music still stands the test of time as is evident in this new release "Skins". The sound is familiar but mature and relevant. The songs are folksy and rocking with a melodic pop sensibility that is not overproduced or contrived to satisfy the masses. The musicianship is top notch.

glad to see the guys can still put together a good listening album; enough songs that my wife will like to let me listen to it un-interrupted on a trip

Its been a strange journey for Buffalo Tom. A few years after producing two of the finest albums of the early nineties they found themselves nearly forgotten amidst the wreckage of countless other "alternative" bands that had emerged during the grunge era. Pop music reasserted its dominance of the music industry in the late nineties, and few expected Buffalo Tom to be relevant again after hearing 1998's mediocre "Smitten". Almost a decade later, much to my surprise and with litttle fanfare, another Buffalo Tom album appeared out of the blue. It was pretty darn good, and I was thrilled to see them producing inspired music. When the band disappeared again I felt pretty good about 2007's "Three Easy Pieces" being Buffalo Tom's swan song. The guys had other ideas however, and in 2011 they're back with a new set of songs. As with the last offering its well worth adding to your collection, and essential for serious fans of "The Tom" and Bill Janovitz. This isn't happy music though -- it sounds a little like what you might expect to hear from a once-promising group that had found themselves somewhere far from the bright lights and cacophany of Nike commercials and the MTV buzz they once knew, on the verge of dropping into total obscurity. This is the soundtrack to the mid-life crisis of Bill Janovitz -- an immensely talented tunesmith now reduced to selling real estate to pay the bills. Janovitz's knack for writing aces songs is clearly still intact: "Don't Forget Me" is heartbreakingly beautiful (and a little painful when considered in context); "Paper Knife" is a slow-moving torch song filled with vibrant, youthful passion; "The Big Light" and "Down" are catchy numbers that get your head bobbing. "Guilty Girls" is a true rock anthem, while "Here I Come" displays the melancholy reflection of a middle-aged poet-rocker who has entered the September of his Career, and has gained the wisdom that time, pain, love and experience bring. Outside of these standouts, the rest of the album does not hold up quite as well. Sadly Chris Colbourn continues to disappoint, as he fails to find the melodic inspiration that was evident in his contributions on earlier albums. Despite its limitations, this album is another exhibition of outstanding music from Buffalo Tom. Anyone who takes rock music and songwriting seriously would do themselves a service to give it at least a listen. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

This album signals the return to form of a band well known to alternative music insiders from the post-grunge era. If there was any time when you considered yourself a fan of Buffalo Tom, this album will not disappoint you.BT enjoyed some success in the 90s when songs from albums like "Big Red Letter Day" were featured on MTV's 120 Minutes. In hindsight, most would agree that their sound peaked with the 1992 "Let Me Come Over" and they never recovered, despite several follow ups. Later songs seemed forced, and even awkward, compared to the seemingly effortless quality of the work on "Let Me Come Over". Eventually the albums stopped coming, though I don't know there was ever a notice of a true break up -- like most everybody else I wasn't really paying attention anymore.BT surprised a lot of people with the recent album "Three Easy Pieces". The band was back...sort of. The songs weren't forced, but there was an evident disconnect probably due to the long time away from the studio and regular time together. I saw BT in Somerville, MA to back up that album and the live show had the same quality of being unrehearsed and apologetic. For me this at least puncutated the story of the band, even if it was more period than exclamation point.10 seconds into the first track of "Skins" it was evident this story didn't end in 1992 or 2007. "Arise, Watch" is not only surprisingly dark, but also significantly tighter than anything on "Three Easy Pieces". The execution, and production remains high quality through simple ballads and straightforward rock from the first track to the end, and the songwriting only falters a bit in the middle. This could be the band simply spending more time together before recording, or because of the hand of producer Paul Q. Kolderie from the Fort Apache days. Regardless of the reasons, the result speaks for itself.The 2010s version of the BT sound has evolved quite a bit from its early 90s noise. The Chris Colbourn pop is back as usual, but is more mature, and witty. Bill Janovitz shows he has learned a lot from his time in Crown Victoria and as a solo artist. Most striking for me is how new influences from the last 20 years have found their way into their music. I'm left wondering what would have happened if BT had spent the bulk of the 90s evolving their sound based on contemporary work from bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and Radiohead, instead of trying to repeat what made "Let Me Come Over" great. The success of the expanded scope of this album makes me think that maybe BT has finally eclipsed their 1992 peak.Highlights for me are "Arise, Watch" for its power and complexity, "Don't Forget Me" for its sheer beauty, and both "Here I Come" and "The Big Light" for providing in 2011 the songs I have waited for since 1993. "Lost Weekend" is a decent rock song, but could have been left off of the album. "The Hawks & The Sparrows" is the best Chris Colbourn fronted song since "Darl". 5 stars for a lot to love and a return to relevance for this excellent Boston band.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this album. Likely one of the band's best, on par with their great"Let Me Come Over" album from the early 90's. Unique, strong vocals to go along with the classic Buffalo Tom sound.My favorite tracks here are "Lost Weekend", "Guilty Girls", and "Arise", though this is an album I enjoy front to back.Right now "Skins" is splitting time on my daily commute with The Twilight Singers' (formerly Afghan Whigs) "Dynamite Steps" CD.Long live timeless great rock.