After the release of their debut album, Cincinnati PsychPop trio The Buffalo Killers found they had fans in high places. The Black Crowes took them on tour (they'll be back out with them this fall) and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys signed on to produce their sophomore album, Let It Ride (they've also done several tour dates with the Keys). The new album is due in stores next month, but the band is hosting a CD release shindig at Covington's Mad Hatter Saturday for local fans. Moon High and The Lions Rampant open.
Let It Ride will please fans of the Killers' self-titled debut, but that album served as more of a retro-tinged introduction. This time around, the trio revels in their talent and sounds more comfortable in their sonic surroundings. The approach is still lively, catchy, primal and analog-natural - it's one of those records that could have been made 35 years ago, devoid of all the production tricks and treats that make so many albums sound so horrible these days. This is the sound of three guys gathered around a drum kit, not a computer.
"Leave the Sun Behind" and "If I Get Myself Anywhere" pick up the psychedelic melodicism of the debut, with strong but not obvious hooks buoyed by the band's trademark swampy, bluesy strut. "Give and Give" is a love-child anthem built partially on acoustic guitars and a tribal rhythmic pattern, sounding a bit like Syd-era Pink Floyd. - City Beat****
CIN Weekly - LOCAL WATCHBuffalo Killers' tour efforts are paying off. The psychedelic rock trio is touring again with The Black Crowes this fall. Its new album, Let It Ride, was recorded at the Akron house of Dan Auerbach, guitarist of blues-infused rock duo The Black Keys. It's the band's second offering on the garage rock-y label Alive Records.
I checked in with bassist Zach Gabbard before the band's CD release show at Mad Hatter.
Q: You guys are very tight live. Did you record this album together or isolate the instruments and vocals?
A: We recorded the album in two different places. Half the record was recorded when Dan had the studio in his basement. And the second half was done in Dan's house, where he built the studio. We did the whole thing live - with overdubbing vocals, of course. Everyone was in the same room. No headphones.
Q: Why did you take that approach?
A: That's the way it sounds. We've been playing together for a long time. We rehearse the songs - as opposed to separating everyone and losing that feeling.
Q: What's a common theme on Let It Ride?
A: All the songs were written on the road. From our first tour with the self-titled record ... a lot of the songs were written during the 30-day tour with The Black Crowes. The record has a common theme of coming home and missing home.
Q: How do you feel about gas prices?
A: It does bum me out in a way. What we do (paid gigs) includes gas prices. We can stop what we're doing, but that's never going to happen.
Q: What was your initial reaction about the guy who bootlegged your concert at the Orpheum Theatre? You're offering tracks from it on the first 500 vinyl copies of Let It Ride.
A: We just wanted something to give to people to show them we could do this live as well as in the studio. Bands go in the studio and they record everything individually, and somebody takes their half-ass songs and makes them good. We wanted to show them in a way that wasn't recorded well. That recording was from the balcony - with two mics up in the air. - CIN Weekly
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