Richard Buckner - Meadow

When I agreed to review Richard Buckner’s Meadow, I headed to his MySpace page to get a feel for his sound, as I have never listened to him prior to this. I was instantly intrigued by what I heard, and waited with bated breath for the album to arrive. When I got it, I was pleased to hear the record delivered on the promises made by his MySpace page. As I listened to Meadow, I couldn’t help but to think of a more stripped-down version of Pete Yorn. Both employ surrealistic lyrics to express what’s on their mind, and there is a similar quality to the vocal work; but where Yorn uses alt-country staples as a starting point for his music, Buckner makes himself right at home in the genre, serving up a great dosage of rootsy melancholy. I was particularly impressed by the opening track, “Town,” which reminded me of a good,well-aged 80's college rock anthem. Other key tracks include the gorgeous “Before” and the penultimate track “Spell.” After giving Meadow several spins, I can conclusively say it was a wise choice, and that Buckner has gained a new fan. [www.mergerecords.com]