Grant Lee Buffalo | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Although heralded by the critics and championed by their musical peers, the 90s alternative/roots rock trio Grant Lee Buffalo failed to break through to the mainstream, despite strong songwriting and an original style. The bands leader was singer/guitarist/songwriter Grant Lee Phillips -- born in 1963 and raised in Stockton, CA, Phillips was equally influenced by rock music early on (David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Kiss) as well as country icons (Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, etc.). By the dawn of his teenage years, Phillips began playing guitar and penning his own original compositions, as he sought to combine his both preferred styles of music together as one -- leading to the formation of his first real band, Bloody Holly. Prior to his 20th birthday, Phillips relocated to Los Angeles, where he roofed houses with hot tar during the day, attended film school at night, and reserved the weekends for music. By the end of the 80s, Phillips had formed the neo-psychedelic outfit Shiva Burlesque, issuing a pair of critically acclaimed but commercially overlooked releases, 1987s self-titled debut and 1990s Mercury Blues, before splitting up. Phillips then recruited Shivas drummer Joey Peters and multi-instrumentalist Paul Kimble (the latter of which doubled on bass and keyboards and, later on, production duties) for a new project. Utilizing a backlog of songs unused by Shiva, the new group first went under several different names (including the Machine Elves and Mouth of Rasputin) before settling on Grant Lee Buffalo. The newly named outfit landed a weekly residence at West Hollywoods Cafe Largo in the early 90s, as they honed their songs and live show, while building up a substantial following in the process. The trio sent a demo tape to the Singles Only label (headed by Hüsker Dü/Sugar frontman Bob Mould), who in turn issued the song "Fuzzy" as a single in 1992. By this time, the buzz surrounding Grant Lee Buffalo had spread to other record labels, as Slash Records signed the trio and issued their full-length debut, also titled Fuzzy, in 1993. Grant Lee Buffalo supported the release with nearly a year of solid touring -- opening for the likes of Cracker, ex-Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg, and Pearl Jam. Instead of taking some much-needed time off from their grueling schedule, the trio went directly back into the studio to work on their sophomore effort, 1994s Mighty Joe Moon, which spawned their first single/video to attract the attention of MTV and radio (albeit mildly), the gentle ballad "Mockingbirds." Despite landing a prestigious gig opening for R.E.M. (the groups first arena tour in five years) and Phillips being recognized as Male Vocalist of the Year by Rolling Stone magazine, the album failed to break the band commercially. Further fine releases followed, 1996s Copperopolis and 1998s Jubilee, which, again, were critically acclaimed yet commercial underachievers. Fed up, the trio quietly disbanded in 1999. Phillips immediately launched a solo career, issuing a pair of albums, 2000s Ladies Love Oracle and 2001s Mobilize, both of which were completely penned and performed by the ex-Grant Lee Buffalo frontman (Phillips has also guested on albums by such other artists as the Eels, Neil Finn, Harvey Danger, Robyn Hitchcock, and Michael Penn, while producing Eenie Meenies self-titled 1997 EP). In 2001, a 30-track Grant Lee Buffalo overview was issued in England (where the group had enjoyed more substantial success than in their homeland), entitled Storm Hymnal: Gems From the Vault of Grant Lee Buffalo. Rhino released it stateside three years later. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 7 Title: America Snoring Released: 1993 Tracks: 4 Duration: 15:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 America Snoring (03:41) 2 Wish You Well (03:29) 3 The Hook (live at KCRW) (04:37) 4 Burning Love (live at the Park West, Chicago) (03:41) |
 | Album: 2 of 7 Title: Fuzzy Released: 1993 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Shining Hour (03:53) 2 Jupiter and Teardrop (05:57) 3 Fuzzy (04:59) 4 Wish You Well (03:30) 5 The Hook (04:13) 6 Soft Wolf Tread (02:52) 7 Stars n Stripes (04:43) 8 Dixie Drug Store (05:08) 9 America Snoring (03:40) 10 Grace (06:15) 11 You Just Have to Be Crazy (03:36) |
| Fuzzy : Allmusic album Review : When Grant Lee Buffalo cut their debut album, 1993s Fuzzy, they had a distinct advantage over most bands making their first trip to the studio -- vocalist and guitarist Grant Lee Phillips, bassist Paul Kimble and drummer Joey Peters had already recorded two LPs together as members of the then-recently defunct Shiva Burlesque, and most of Fuzzys 11 songs dated back to SBs latter days. This goes a long way towards explaining how Grant Lee Buffalo were able to make an album as confident and solidly crafted as Fuzzy, but it was even more significant that Phillips had a marvelous voice, wrote fine and evocative songs, and was fortunate enough to be working with sympathetic accompanists who had a good idea of how to tap into the mysterious melodic structures of his music. (Kimble was an especially valuable ally in the studio, helping to produce and engineer these recordings and giving this album its full, widescreen sound.) Fuzzy is Grant Lee Buffalos most satisfying album; while the group would expand on their musical formula over their next three albums, this albums relative simplicity and striking dynamics ultimately serve these songs better than the more elaborate recordings that would follow, and tunes like "Soft Wolf Tread," "Dixie Drug Store" and the title cut fuse the richly American imagery of the burgeoning alt country movement with a California gothic sensibility that was all their own. Fuzzy is deep and mysterious stuff, but also very beautiful and crafted with imagination and care, and its no wonder Grant Lee Buffalo became critics darlings shortly after this was released. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 7 Title: Buffalondon Live Released: 1993 Tracks: 4 Duration: 21:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Shining Hour (05:43) 2 For the Turnstiles (04:05) 3 Grace (06:33) 4 America Snoring (04:37) |
 | Album: 4 of 7 Title: Mighty Joe Moon Released: 1994-09-09 Tracks: 13 Duration: 48:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lone Star Song (04:35) 2 Mockingbirds (04:42) 3 Its the Life (02:57) 4 Sing Along (04:26) 5 Mighty Joe Moon (02:49) 6 Demon Called Deception (02:51) 7 Lady Godiva and Me (05:02) 8 Drag (03:05) 9 Last Days of Tecumseh (01:02) 10 Happiness (03:02) 11 Honey Dont Think (02:44) 12 Side by Side (06:54) 13 Rock of Ages (04:14) |
| Mighty Joe Moon : Allmusic album Review : With their second album, Grant Lee Buffalo strip back their sound to its bare essentials, which accentuates Grant Lee Phillips rural myths. Not only does the approach make songs like "Lone Star Song" rock viciously, but it also makes the bittersweet beauty of ballads like the gorgeous "Mockingbirds" all the more poignant. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 7 Title: Copperopolis Released: 1996 Tracks: 13 Duration: 56:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Homespun (05:37) 2 The Bridge (03:29) 3 Arousing Thunder (05:42) 4 Even the Oxen (03:53) 5 Crackdown (04:00) 6 Armchair (03:22) 7 Bethlehem Steel (06:05) 8 All That I Have (03:09) 9 Two & Two (03:46) 10 Better for Us (04:21) 11 Hyperion and Sunset (04:00) 12 Comes to Blows (05:30) 13 The Only Way Down (03:13) |
| Copperopolis : Allmusic album Review : 1996s Copperopolis is an album that lurks in a strange sort of limbo -- its a fine record that also happens to be Grant Lee Buffalos weakest LP. Grant Lee Phillips was still writing fine songs and his voice was as compelling as ever, but the relative simplicity of the groups first album, Fuzzy, had fallen by the wayside as Phillips, percussionist Joey Peters and producer and multi-instrumentalist Paul Kimble embraced the possibilities of the studio and while the more layered sound is often striking, the simpler dynamics of Fuzzy are ultimately more powerful. While the group was clearly still capable of making good music together, theres also a sense that Grant Lee Buffalo was starting to reach the end of their possibilities on these sessions, and as strong as the tunes are from a melodic standpoint, lyrically they were becoming cryptic to the point of having no clear meaning. Significantly, most of Copperopolis faults dont become clear until after repeated listenings; the surfaces of this album are lovely and impressive, but the nooks and crannies dont hold the telling secrets of this groups earlier works. Copperopolis would prove to be the last album from the original Grant Lee Buffalo lineup, and while the music they made on these sessions is often beautiful, it never reaches the heights this group seems capable of, even if they do come close on a few tunes. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 7 Title: Jubilee Released: 1998-06-09 Tracks: 14 Duration: 59:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 APB (03:38) 2 Seconds (04:21) 3 Change Your Tune (03:21) 4 Testimony (03:59) 5 Truly, Truly (03:59) 6 SuperSloMotion (05:42) 7 Fine Howd Ya Do (03:54) 8 Come to Mama, She Say (04:31) 9 8 Mile Road (04:55) 10 Everybody Needs a Little Sanctuary (04:01) 11 My, My, My (04:05) 12 Crooked Dice (04:43) 13 Jubilee (03:38) 14 The Shallow End (04:17) |
| Jubilee : Allmusic album Review : With the departure of bassist Paul Kimble, Grant Lee Buffalo became the sole province of singer/songwriter Grant Lee Phillips; he may still be supported by drummer Joey Peters, but now, more than ever, he is the main focal point. With Kimble left, some of the bands appealingly messy ambition has been reigned in, resulting in a brighter, sharper sound. And that means Jubilee, the groups fourth record, doesnt quite hit the heights of Fuzzy and Mighty Joe Moon, but its arguably their most consistent effort yet, simply because it puts Phillips songwriting on full display. He still has eclecticism in his blood -- theres everything from lumbering hard rock to sweet country tunes on the album -- but his skills have grown; he now has the ability to make it all sound like it was coming from the same source, instead of different planets. Consequently, Jubilee does sound joyous -- Grant Lee Buffalo fills the record with more genuine ambition and accomplishment than many of their peers have managed. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 7 Title: Storm Hymnal: Gems From the Vault of Grant Lee Buffalo Released: 2001-10 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:07:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Fuzzy (04:57) 2 The Shining Hour (03:53) 3 Jupiter and Teardrop (05:57) 4 Stars n Stripes (04:42) 5 Lone Star Song (04:35) 6 Mockingbirds (04:40) 7 Honey Dont Think (02:43) 8 Happiness (03:00) 9 Bethlehem Steel (06:04) 10 Arousing Thunder (05:42) 11 Homespun (05:36) 12 Two & Two (03:46) 13 Truly, Truly (03:59) 14 Testimony (04:00) 15 My, My, My (04:06) 16 The Shallow End (04:14) 1 Were Coming Down (04:13) 2 The Shining Hour (alternate acoustic version) (03:26) 3 Wish You Well (alternate acoustic version) (03:44) 4 Soft Wolf Tread (alternate acoustic version) (02:36) 5 I Will Take Him (04:27) 6 Let Go of My Hand (04:10) 7 Orpheus (04:52) 8 Goodnight John Dee (03:15) 9 Halloween (04:16) 10 Gold Chain Drag (02:17) 11 Crashing at Corona (04:19) 12 Mr. Know-It-All (02:59) 13 Were You There (06:47) 14 Where do We Go From Here (03:49) |
| Storm Hymnal: Gems From the Vault of Grant Lee Buffalo : Allmusic album Review : Storm Hymnal culls selected tracks from Grant Lee Buffalos four studio albums on one disc, with rarities, alternate takes, and B-sides assembled on a second disc. The first disc functions as a sort of greatest-hits, and the bands two best known songs are included,"Fuzzy" (their debut single), and "Mockingbirds," arguably their finest moment. The rarities on Disc Two are sequenced well, and they play like an autumnal statement from the group, who split in 1999. Highlights from the rarities disc include lead singer Grant Lee Phillips John Lennon-esque vocal on"Goodnight John Dee," and the R.E.M.-sounding "Halloween," a song for the late River Phoenix. Fervent fans of the group will find Disc Two essential, but will probably already have everything on the first disc, making this one of those releases that has too much for the casual listener, and too much redundancy for the already converted. | ||