Buffalo Summer - S/T

(CD Album Review)

****

Welsh boys give the American's a run for their money on their debut album.

Buffalo Summer are a relatively new Welsh outfit, made up of four extremely talented guys. This up and coming Classic Rock band have already toured with some major bands such as Skid Row, Ugly kid Joe and Heavens Basement, as well as having a successful slot at Download Festival this year. Their debut album is a faithful hat tip to the classic rock sound of late 80’s and early 90’s.

There is also a distinctly “Southern Rock sound” that is akin to Lynyrd Skynyrd. I can’t actually say there is one bad track on this album, and that’s a rare thing to say these days. All in all the ten quality tracks that make up this offering make for a very pleasurable fourty minutes of chill out time. On first listening to this album, I have to say it did just wash over me a bit, I don’t mean in a boring way, just each song seemed to slide effortlessly into the next. However, the more I played it, the more certain tracks stood out. “Down to the River” starts with a beautiful acoustic intro, but soon builds into a really uplifting Blues / Rock number. Andrew Hunt’s awesome soulful vocal shines through on this song, and you can’t help be reminded of a Free / Bad Company era band.

Medium paced 'Truth from Fable' features some incredible guitar, courtesy of Jonny Williams, and again Andrew delivers some great vocal lines whilst Gareth Hunt bashes out a lovely steady rock beat. 'Ain’t no Other' is a more up tempo rock classic, which showcases a short but well-articulated build up. You are carried along nicely through the whole track, only to be distracted near the end with a superb guitar solo by Williams. Drummer Gareth has his moment on this one too with his interesting drum fills. 'March of the Buffalo' is one of the gentler tracks on the album, but still features a great heavy-ish riff, which carries you through to the very catchy chorus and another amazing guitar solo spot. There’s no denying the quality musicianship of all four members of the band, and they gel together extremely well on this Album. If they deliver this quality live, anyone who goes to see them should be in for a real treat. This is definitely a band that’s bound to go places.

Review by Helen Westby