Customer Reviews

Bloomed

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this CD while wandering around the record store completely overwhelmed and discouraged about what might tickle my fancy and stumbled upon Bloomed. Not being hip to Richard Buckner I took a look at the cover, turned it over, saw that look and gave it a shot. From the first notes of Blue and Wonder I knew there was no going back. I must listen to that record almost every day and never tire of it. I wouldn't call it country, I would just call it divine. He is all about exquisite acoustic guitar playing with honest well crafted, beautifully sung lyrics that anyone who has had a little heartache or had to hit the road will dig. One of my musician friends hates every CD I buy but everytime I get in his car I hear Bloomed coming at me as sweet as my old dog when I've come home.

I discovered Richard Buckner by the favorable reviews I read on this very website. There was something about what I read that made me buy "Bloomed". I bought it a couple months ago and I now have all the Buckner titles. They have not left my CD player yet. I cannot imagine how life would be, had I not known his music. This guy is a diamond in the rough, the real deal.
Buckner is from the singer-songwriter mold and I guess you could call his music folk. It's not folk in the mushy, sentimental sense, though. Be prepared to face the harsh realities of life. What separates Buckner is the intensity and feeling of his songs. He is also extremely literate and his use of vocabulary and wordplay is truly unique. He is a great songwriter. Others could sing his songs and they are still great songs. Few could make you feel about them the way Buckner does, however. You think you know great music and songwriting, and then you hear Buckner, and you realize lackings that your other favorites have. Simply put, he raises the bar of expectations you have when you purchase a CD.
"Bloomed" was his first album, and it's also his most "accessible" one. The music is fairly raw, but they are great songs that stick in your head easily. This record has the most "country" feel, it was recorded in Lubbock, TX. However, in no way is Buckner a country artist.
When you listen to this CD, listen to songs 4 through 12 first. They are all stellar. The first 3 tracks are the weakest, if there is such a thing with Buckner. The first song is OK, the 2nd one is good, but I personally didn't like the 3rd one. "22" is an eery suicide song, not one of my favorites. Get past this, though, because greater things lie ahead. "Surprise, AZ", about the death of a father, is a great one. "In '34, you were 21. He told me once that he knew when he first saw you. "And you know about me, at only 23. You watched her come and go as she went through everything I had. Mother did you see, what was gonna happen? She brought me down so far, I never quite made it back....."
The thing that really elevates this record are the 5 bonus tracks issued on the re-release. They are edgy, and even more sparse. "The Last Ride", "Settled Down", "The Worst Way", and "Hutchinson" make this a top-notch record. The bluesy "Emma" is OK, but it's whiny and can grate.
Buckner knows pain, brother, you will feel that in these songs. In the meantime, enjoy the songwriting. Examples: "I shot my insides out with grief and Mr. Kessler(cheap liquor), all holed up in my room." "Christ, how this life from mud to miracle, is just the prettiest little burden, isn't it, el?" "I went down to meet my Maker and the water tastes salty. What's on my lips? The letter you sent me." "Pass me up, or lay me down. Once I wanted an explanation, now I'd settle for just a sound."
I could go on and on, but I've already taken too much space here. I would go as far as to say that his music is too mature for most college audiences. You probably need to be in your mid-twenties or thirties, having been kicked in the teeth a few times.
I have never recommended an album more than I do this one.

While Richard Buckner could easily be tagged as country, to do this would be a discredit to his songwriting. However he is everything country music wants to be. Gone here is the typical cheap drivel and phony twang of contemporary country songs and in it's place is an authenticity and sincerity that is not only lacking in today's "country" songs but in music in general. Buckner spills his guts for us delivering his emotions and thoughts via beautiful songs filled with his powerful voice and great acoustic guitar playing accompanied by mandolin, steel guitar and accordian among other instruments. These songs will not only get your attention but they will become a part of you giving you sad joy. Even when it's not playing in your CD player it's playing in your head. It's been a long time since an artist moved me like Buckner does. If you appreciate the songcraft of muscians like Mark Eitzel and Paul Westerberg this disc is a must have. By the way, while you're at it pick up all the Buckner titles, they're that good.

Very occasionally I'm stunned by a first recorded effort. I'm thinking Tracy Chapman's debut, Morrison's,'Astral Weeks', Tori's,'Little Earthquakes', and Chris Whitely's,'Living With The Law'; big shifts in musical outlook yet within familiar surrounds. Buckner's,Bloomed' made a similar impact, though his take on experience was (and continues to be) that of the doomed lover. He seems determined to make this domain, teasing a range of depreciation, dereliction and rejection from his encounters. In 'Bloomed' he's on the road, moving on,moving on. The change of scenery offers a path out of difficult confrontations. is voice is a fabulous, emotional instrument and he rings nerve-tingling notes from it. The songs here are not uniformly great, not the strike rate of the aforementioned debuts. But the first five are right up there.'22' and 'Mud' will stop you in your tracks. The remainder are only medium good compared to such an auspicious beginning. His arrangements are countrified but are absolutely stand apart unique from the genre.

I have listened to this album continuously for the last three years. Richard Buckner's powerful vocals, which in person, in Paris, were even more spectacular and mesmorizing, control a passion and pain, unmatched by any other artist, period. The emotions envoked by his lyrics and wild guitar melodies cannot be compared.

I have turned all my friends and family on to Buckner, proudly. Mighty depressing, but his songs are there for you when you need it. One of my favorite all time albums.

I cannot say enough good things about Buckner's music. "Bloomed" is hands down, one of my favorite albums of all times. Very stripped down, very dark. He takes these complex characters & confines them to a 3 minute (give or take a few) song.
"This is Where" makes me glad to be a man. The sadness & hurt he sings about is so depressing, that you want to experience it. Kinda like passing a bad wreck. You gotta look. "Emma" is another gem. Learn him & love him!

Richard Buckner is a true lyricist. his vocals always ring true and he is a great musician. this album is more on the country side of things, but don't let that scare you off. it is incredible.

This album was originaly released on a small independent label out of Texas in the mid-90s. I first heard of Richard while interning with the label. During the shortime I was interning, the album was named to Spin Magazines Top 20 albums of the Year. Given the small status of the label and lack of marketing resources, Richard Buckner's quality transcended the typical industry hype and stands alone on its own merit.

Eventually, I lent the CD to a friend never to see it again. The album made such an impact on me with the rich lyrics and soulfelt melodies I had to get a replacement copy.

It's truly an unheralded gem within the ranks of singer/songwriters.

This is one great CD. The remastering improves many of the songs vastly over the other releases. Some of the songs on here are excellent and incredibly memorable: "Gauzy Dress in the Sun," "Blue and Wonder," etc. The weepy pedal steel together with steel string acoustic guitar and Buckner's blue-grassy, twang-inspired voice make a heady mix. I buy far too many CDs and this one is (I think) not only the best one by Richard Buckner; it is the #1 best CD I have bought in 2 years. Check it out!!!!

I have listened to this CD now for 2 weeks straight and can't stop. By far one of the greatest CDs that I have ever had the privelidge to listen to...