by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media [album released June 27, 2021]
When I think about concept albums lo-fi folk isn't the first thing that springs to mind. Cue Buck's Moonlight Revival- a couple (Eric and Caitlin) shacked up in a house in Kingston Ontario with loads of 'vintage' gear including an 8 track Tascam 488 tape recorder as the centrepiece (thought there might be a cat there who would feel otherwise).
Add to that mix: a taste for atmospherics that hearkens stark and barren landscapes not unlike the icy north, sweet and wispily lilting female vocals, gently picked acoustic guitars, analog synths and layers of bowed instruments of any stringed variety, plus a touch of harmonica and saw (of the tree-cutting variety).
The lyrics are adapted from the poems of singer Caitlin's grandfather who yearned that one day they could be put to music.
The album flows from track to track. It's meant to be enjoyed as a whole. The only break is in the very middle of the album when either the tape or vinyl record would need to be turned around- something that is novel to the recent generation who know only the world of streaming (but a resurgence of cassette decks and record players are bubbling underneath the surface and gaining popularity among younger folk).
There is a great relaxing simplicity to this record. There are no drum machines, no real percussion of any kind, except for the natural rhythms evoked by Eric's fingerstyle guitar and baritone ukulele pickings between long breaks of atmospherics utilizing found sounds and backward tape meanderings. This self-titled album evokes a feeling of soul-searching as if you are gently becoming aware of a long lost memory. It's full of buzzes and vibrations, breezes and birds, haunting echoes and soothing singing.
Prog dog score: 4.5 / 5 bones. Buck's Moonlight Revival is no less epic for its quietness. It marks an exciting (but calming) start to this couple's career. May it be long and prosper.
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