The opening lick of Bud Buckley’s latest EP In Denial brings a welcomed, warm smile to my face; the kind of smile one gets when walking into a local coffee shop on a snowy day to sit down to a cup of warm cocoa with a friend. The cover shows Buckley playing guitar like nothing matters and nothing is wrong in the world, while a train heads down the track he stands on playing a C chord. The imagery fits perfectly with what many independent artists go through. So many of those songwriters strum their guitars and sing out their pain to the audience warmly drinking cocoa among friends – ignoring the train coming down the tracks in the themes brought on by the local talent.
Buckley opens with “Had to Pretend,” which keys us in to the game played in relationships as well as musicians trying to make it. The first line plays with lyrics about closing eyes and pretending not to see the crossing of thighs nor wanting to scream as she walks away, which recalls the cover with back turned against the brutal truth of a train coming. This interplay of themes and ideas makes Buckley’s songs sing out to intellectuals looking for poetry in lyrics. The structure of each song showcases the fine guitar work without making any individual solo an overbearing thing. The passion in the vocals drives each song through to its next riff. Another great line followed by a quick lick is, “I lived for each moment, and usually they’d explode all over you” in “It’s Been Fun.” The repeated idea, “maybe there’s more to come” fits right into the recurring metaphors of denial perfectly. That gift to relate music, art, and lyrics is what keeps me a fan of Buckley’s.
As an extra treat to any newer fans, Buckley includes “It’s About Time” from his 2007 EP of the same name, and “A Way” from his 2009 EP Sitting on the Wind. I have personally followed and reviewed Buckley’s releases, and am genuinely proud of the mix of past and present he brings now to his fans. Check him out on www.BudBuckley.com where he thinks enough of us to include his lyrics. Train’s coming – get on board with In Denial.
