Positive Friction

 (13 customer reviews)

Take a little bit of Nashville, mix it with Kingston, New Orleans and San Francisco, then add a sprinkling of an upbeat 80's sound. What do you get? Donna the Buffalo - the world's greatest band! This 4th cd of theirs is a real winner. It has a slightly less produced sound than their other cd's, presenting the band in a way that is closer to what you'll hear at their live shows. The songwriting by both Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear is outstanding, as is usual with these artists. And as those who love this band have come to expect, the musicianship on the cd is excellent. Musically, two things stand out that make this cd different from the band's previous releases: Tara plays little or no accordion here, which lessens the Zydeco influence on the band's sound; and Jeb plays pedal steel guitar on several songs, something which he's done a little of on previous work but which is really highlighted here. The cd opens with "No place like the right time",a lilting...Read more

I first saw this band at Riverbend in Chattanooga and my cynical musical heart skipped a beat. I couldn't believe I was hearing music this original, this fun, this RIGHT. I am a wandering pilgrim of a Deadhead, and I have been so disappointed in all the vane attempts other bands have made to try to capture that musical magic that it has left me wondering if there was any music out there that would ever grab my attention again. Phish was sophomoric and forgettable, ditto moe., Widespread Panic completely escaped me, etc. etc. These bands would pop up on the horizon, offer lame lyrics and forgettable monotonous melodies, and I wondered if any band could get it right. Well, Donna the Buffalo got it right. This is a great album to start with, in my opinion. I did, and I'm a serious fan now. The music is so incredibly addictive and listenable that it didn't leave my CD player for weeks after I got it. They can (gasp!) write gorgeous melodies!! They can (imagine!) construct...Read more

I'm going to disagree with my fellow Rochesterian and say that this is a good DTB album with which to start, if you haven't heard them before. It was recorded live in the studio, so it managed to capture the headlong-but-relaxed feel of their live shows better than any previous album. The title cut, "Positive Friction", is one of the best Jeb Puryear songs yet. He generally comes up with at least one anthemic epic per album (e.g., "Conscious Evolution" on Rockin' in the Weary Land and "Mystic Water" on The Ones You Love) and this is the brawniest one yet. In this band Tara writes the pop songs and Jeb writes the rock songs. They are both excellent songwriters and the polarity of their styles is part of what broadens the appeal of the band and also creates the tension that is at least part of what makes their live shows worth seeing.DTB beat the Coen Brothers to the punch with their re-recording of "A Man of Constant Sorrow" and Jim...Read more