DONNA THE BUFFALO
Positive Friction (Sugar Hill)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Donna The Buffalo ride the jam band heart of the territory that's broadly labeled Americana, and they take advantage of every opportunity that broad label provides. There's some easy going country rock material, but there's also a bit of both the blues and the Cajun sides of the Delta, a touch of reggae, just the right amount of rock and a side order of bluegrass. The ingredients sound almost unreliably eclectic, but they cook it all up in away that bends and blends boundaries into a solid and distinctive sound.

This is apparently the last recording by the band featuring the keyboard talents of Joe Thrift, and he'll be missed by the faithful, but the heart of the band is guitarist/singer/songwriter Jeb Puryear and the multi-talented Tara Nevins, who writes some of the group's best songs, sings like an angel and plays fiddle, accordion, guitar, rub board and tambourine. As long as Jeb and Tara are at the helm, the DTB stampede will be on the right track. That's not to take a thing away from guitarist Jim Miller and the rhythm section, Jed Greenberg on bass and Tom Gilbert on drums, who make a major contribution to holding all the disparate directions Puryear and Nevins are apt to take together.

Positive Friction is another solid offering by a terrific group of talents. If you're part of the Herd, you've probably picked in up by now. If you aren't part of the Herd, pick it up and you soon will be.

Track List:

No Place Like The Right Time * Movin' On * Yonder * Riddle Of The Universe * Front Porch * In Another World * Revolution * Family Picture * Positive Friction * Man Of Constant Sorrow * I Wish You Love * Arrows Pointing Sideways * Your Way Home

© 2000 - Shaun Dale