Buffalo Nickel is an album by the American musician Dan Baird, released in 1996.[1][2] The first single was "Younger Face".[3] Baird supported the album with a North American tour.[4]
| Buffalo Nickel | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||
| Label | American | |||
| Producer | Brendan O'Brien | |||
| Dan Baird chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced by Brendan O'Brien, who also played guitar.[5][6] Baird cowrote or wrote nine of the songs; he ignored musical trends when forming the songs.[7][8] Two songs were written by Terry Anderson, Baird's bandmate in the Yayhoos.[9] Georgia Satellite Mauro Magellan played drums.[10] "Hush" is a cover of the song made famous by Deep Purple, with backing vocals by Joe South.[11][12] "I Want You Bad" is a cover of the NRBQ song.[13] "Cumberland River" and "Younger Face" are about washed-up characters.[14] "Hell to Pay" is about a friend who destroys his life.[15] The album contains a hidden track about a Tennessee state park.[16]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| Audio | A[17] |
| Calgary Herald |  [18] |
| Chicago Tribune | [15] |
| The Indianapolis Star | [6] |
| Los Angeles Times | [19] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [20] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [10] |
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote that "Dan Baird plays guitar like the cockiest rooster stalking the walk and sings like a Faces-era Rod Stewart weaned on stock car races and homemade sin."[21] The Denver Post determined that Baird "is making the kind of footstomping, rude, seat-of-the-pants rock 'n' roll you hardly hear anymore."[22] The New York Times concluded that, "in an era of grunge power chords, he's dedicated to twangy, down-home, cowbell-socking rockers steeped in Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones."[14] The Los Angeles Times deemed the album "not profound, exactly, but a sloppy good time."[19]
Stereo Review noted that "Baird's an old-school rocker who kicks the blues and boogie around with a salty wit underscored by a love of the sweaty, footstompin' fun that can be had when guitars, bass, and drums fall into the lockstep of Faces and Humble Pie by way of Sun and StaxVolt."[23] The Toronto Star stated that "Baird remains one of southern rock's finest writers of toe-tapping tunes and dispensers of home truths."[24] The Austin American-Statesman opined that O'Brien "seems obsessed with trying to keep the careers of former Georgia Satellites alive ... [he] only helps point out why the Satellites were one-hit wonders."[13]
AllMusic wrote that "Baird's approach is so basic it borders on the generic, except when he comes up with striking lyrics to supplement the simple sound."[11]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Younger Face" | |
| 2. | "Cumberland River" | |
| 3. | "I Want You Bad" | |
| 4. | "On My Way" | |
| 5. | "L'il Bit" | |
| 6. | "Hell to Pay" | |
| 7. | "Woke Up Jake" | |
| 8. | "Birthday" | |
| 9. | "Hush" | |
| 10. | "Trivial as the Truth" | |
| 11. | "Hit Me Like a Train" |
References
edit- ^ "Dan Baird Biography by Mark Deming". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ Hiltbrand, David (Jan 22, 1996). "Buffalo Nickel by Dan Baird". People. Vol. 45, no. 3. p. 23.
- ^ Morris, Chris (Dec 2, 1995). "Dan Baird rolls out a 'Buffalo Nickel' on American Recordings". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 48. p. 19.
- ^ McGuinness, Jim (8 Mar 1996). "Don't Let the Hayseed Look Fool You". Previews. The Record. Bergen County. p. 26.
- ^ Monk, Katherine (26 Oct 1995). "Pop Outside". Vancouver Sun. p. D10.
- ^ a b Hall, Steve (25 Feb 1996). "Dan Baird 'Buffalo Nickel'". The Indianapolis Star. p. I7.
- ^ Aydlette, Larry (2 Feb 1996). "Albums". TGIF. The Palm Beach Post. p. 3.
- ^ Hoekstra, Dave (22 May 1996). "Ex-Satellite Is Back in Orbit with Yahoos". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 2:40.
- ^ Orr, Jay (19 Oct 1995). "Music City". Nashville Banner. p. C3.
- ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (1 Mar 1996). "Dan Baird". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 10.
- ^ a b c "Buffalo Nickel Review by William Ruhlmann". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ DeVault, Russ (9 Jan 1996). "Sound Shopping". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. D6.
- ^ a b Riemenschneider, Chris (15 Feb 1996). "In the Red". Austin American-Statesman. p. 15.
- ^ a b Pareles, Jon (28 Jan 1996). "Dan Baird 'Buffalo Nickel'". The New York Times. p. 2.24.
- ^ a b McKeough, Kevin (23 May 1996). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 10.
- ^ Orr, Jay (1 Feb 1996). "Baird's Eye View". Nashville Banner. p. C14.
- ^ Bieber, Mike (Jul 1996). "Buffalo Nickel". Audio. Vol. 80, no. 7. p. 80.
- ^ Muretich, James (11 Feb 1996). "New Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C8.
- ^ a b Appleford, Steve (16 Mar 1996). "Dan Baird, 'Buffalo Nickel'". Los Angeles Times. p. F6.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 286.
- ^ Dollar, Steve (11 Jan 1996). "Hokum and Pearls". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. F4.
- ^ Brown, G. (28 Jan 1996). "Seat-of-the-pants rock 'n' roll back in rude 'Buffalo Nickel'". The Denver Post. p. F3.
- ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (Feb 1996). "Buffalo Nickel by Dan Baird". Stereo Review. Vol. 61, no. 2. p. 139.
- ^ Howell, Peter (3 Feb 1996). "Pop". Toronto Star. p. L11.