The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/20734
Vinyl Vault by Eric Coan “Buch And The Snake Stretchers” (BIOYA) This rarity has hands-down the most unique packaging of any record in my source record collection: The jacket is a burlap sack, sewn together to LP size and stamped with the artist and album name on the front. But what’s inside is equally fascinating. Telecaster shaman Roy Buchanan had been playing as a sideman since his teen- age years in the ‘50s, and was getting steady, respectable work through the ‘60s as his skills and techniques were being refined to a transcendental level, but report- edly quit the biz for a few years to train as a barber (!). Apparently the hair-cutting windfall never came so he again picked up his ’53 Tele and took residence at a blues hot-spot in Bladensburg, Md., where this was recorded in early 1971. Back story on the label: BIOYA was an independent label that Buchanan started to produce and distribute this record. Polydor apparently rejected the album, so Buchanan did it himself, super-low budget (hence the burlap jacket and zero information label name B(low) I(t) Recorded head mic, exactly ies, but ambience a drowsy Seems like (some He unleashes some of the fiercest, howl- ing guitar riffs you’ll ever hear; you wonder if the devil himself hasn’t arrived. or liner notes), and the is his message to Polydor: O(ut) Y(our) A(ss). through a single over- the sound quality didn’t shatter any boundar- it perfectly catches the of a smoky juke-joint on Saturday night. a four-piece ensemble sources mention a rhythm guitarist, but I don’t hear him) of bass, drums, organ and Roy. An interesting set of songs rolls between soulful R&B and scorching Southern blues, often in the same tune. Covers of Neil Young’s “Down By The River” and “Johnny B. Goode” are held together in faithful manner by the band, while giving Buchanan room to completely shred familiar territory. Particularly worth a listen are two Buchanan instru- mental originals: “Sweet Dreams” and “The Messiah Will Come Again.” The former is simply one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. A somber yet powerfully uplifting melody is driven alone by Roy, accented behind him by sustained Hammond organ through the changes. “The Messiah” is joined in progress during an organ solo and several minutes of bone-chilling minor chords. It makes you feel like you’ve just walked into a church service — until Roy comes in. He unleashes some of the fiercest, howling guitar riffs you’ll ever hear; you wonder if the devil himself hasn’t arrived. Roy’s style could be described as “virtuoso diver- sity.” He has absolute control of numerous techniques, seamlessly moving mid-stream between volume and tone manipulation, lightning bolts of screeching modal runs, bends on the verge of breaking in two, and (perhaps his signature) harmonic pinches (A technique he reportedly taught to Robbie Robertson.) It is unreal the number of different tones he could coax out of a single note. At times it sounds as if he’s wrenching the life out of his guitar, but it is apparent that he is a man in complete command of his instrument, and his deep reverence for the Tele and the songs comes through in every note. Dec. 2, 2010 O-Town Scene 7 Roy Buchanan, Interested in writing CD, concert, theater or film reviews? A column? Feature stories? editor@otownscene.com E-mail Cassandra at