Customer Reviews

Don't Call Me Buckwheat

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My fault that Garland Jeffreys crossed into and out of my consciousness shortly after "Wild in the Streets". A week or so ago there he was on Letterman doing his new anthem "Coney Island Winter". Half asleep, I sat bolt upright. It was no longer a question of where he has been, but where I have strayed (Ok, it's not so bad, it was largely into Classical Music). In my quest for Mr. Jeffreys' Rock and Roll purity I discovered "Don't Call Me Buckwheat". Even forgetting the political message, that is still as vital and valid as when the album was recorded; the music and musicality is simply spectacular. So buy this one without hesitation and double your pleasure with "The King of In Between".

I went to diversity training at work today. It got me thinking about this CD, so I dug it up. It really is pretty damn good and still holds up. The CD is mostly about racism and what it's like to black in America. The music is great rock and roll with a bit of reggae. I highly recommend it.

Seriously, I've got to call this one of the greatest rock albums ever. Now I admit I am a fair housing attorney and city planner very focused on bringing an eventual end to American Apartheid. To me, this CD encapsulates all that rock can be: thought-provoking music with a conscience -- and great melodies. It's a shame that it was pretty much ignored, as evidenced by the small number of consumer reviews posted here. "Color Line," "I was Afraid of Malcolm," "Racial Repertoire," "Don't Call Me Buckwheat," and "Hail Hail Rock 'N" Roll" are standouts with their piercing lyrics and memorable melodies (and let's not forget the sheer fun of the doo-wop album closer "I'm Not a Know It All" -- which could be Jeffreys' self-depricating coda). All in all, this is what can be great about rock music.

Jeffreys had gone close to ten years between releases when "Buckwheat" dropped in 1992. This followed his memorably forgettable "Guts For Love", so expectations weren't necessarily high for a comeback. In fact, this is one of the greatest albums of its decade. If you are allergic to a consideration of the racial politics of its time, you may have a hard time with an album that is dedicated to the topic. The insights are deeply felt, from the perspective of an artist whose life has been shaped by his interracial parentage. If you don't have a problem with the material, you'll find a brilliant musical mosaic that merges and blends reggae, rock, doo-wop, Latin tones, gospel, and hip-hop. The sound is clearly Jeffreys, echoing the tonal pallet fans will recognize from Ghost Writer, One Eyed Jack, and Escape Artist. It is distinctive from the earlier releases in having a cleaner, brighter sound. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

I like the music on this CD better than any of Garland Jeffrey's other CD's. Don't get me wrong, the first two of his solo CDs are good - I enjoy listening to them. Don't Call Me Buckwheat has a very different sound to it. It's got less of the bluesbar, busy sound of some of his other music. It sounds cleaner and more of a blending of his earlier musics. There is a peace to it, along with an edge. In a sense, it's a more complex sound with less of the needless frills.

if you are a fan of the wild in the streets jeffries
you can skip this buckwheat cd. its a look at the racial
politics of 1990 east coast usa. titles like color line,dont
call me buckwheat,afraid of malcolm, racial repertoire,
spanish blood and murder jubliee are way over the edge.
the obama era makes this cd just plain an irrevelent.
no rock just a rehash of decades old lame politics.
i listened twice and tossed it out.