Buffalo Tom Let Me Come Over

Buffalo Tom Let Me Come Over 

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While Birdbrain was a marked improvement over Buffalo Tom's self-titled debut album, Let Me Come Over was truly the great leap forward for the band, sounding richer, more imaginative, and more emotionally powerful than anything they'd attempted in the past. Guitarist Bill Janovitz, bassist Chris Colbourn, and drummer Tom Maginnis individually displayed a greater command of their respective instruments, and collectively their interplay was certainly more confident and intricate, having traded in the muddy clamor of their first recordings for a more layered sound (complete with overdubbed acoustic guitars) that was clean, vibrant, and compelling. (Producers Paul Kolderie and Sean Slade certainly helped, bringing a clearer and better-focused sound to these sessions than J Mascis drew from the band.) And while Buffalo Tom were shouting less on Let Me Come Over, they seemed to have a lot more to say; the lovelorn "Taillights Fade" and the yearning "Velvet Roof" have heart and soul that dig a good bit deeper (and are also a lot easier to sort through) than their previous work, while even hard rockers such as "Stymied" and "Saving Grace" reflect a new maturity and seriousness of purpose. In fact, if Let Me Come Over has a flaw, it's that Buffalo Tom seem to display a bit less joie de vivre than one might have expected, though after gaining this much in the way of both skills and smarts, you can't blame them for wanting to show them off a bit. [In 2017, Beggars Banquet Records celebrated the 25th anniversary of Let Me Come Over's release with a special edition of the album that was expanded to a two-disc set with the addition of a 17-song live show recorded in London in 1992. The live disc confirms that, on-stage, Buffalo Tom were more than capable of delivering the same energy they generated in the studio. And if the live performance is a bit looser than the studio tracks, the strength of their attack and the passion they put into their performance are additional reminders of why this band meant so much to so many. Some fans might balk at the notion of buying Let Me Come Over again just to get the bonus live disc, but for those who were looking for a reason to replace their old copies of the album, this expanded edition may be all the excuse they will need.]