Richard Buckner - Since (1998)

Richard Buckner’s follow-up to his 1997 divorce odyssey Devotion + Doubt is a more upbeat affair, with questions of faith and being tossed into the electric mix. Moving from contemplative singer-songwriter treks (“Once”) to blurry guitar rave-ups (“Believer”), Since is the picking-up-and-getting-on antidote to Devotion + Doubt’s downer trip. Buckner still seems troubled by life’s little hang-ups, but instead of falling into an acoustic-drenched funk, he rages against his blues with his guitar. That doesn’t mean Since isn’t without its distressing moments; there are plenty of hushed and fragile songs here that recall the breaking tone of his previous two albums. Yet, for all of the creeping positivity going on within the grooves, Buckner sounds more weary than ever, his already delicate voice cracking under the pressure as he trudges his way through his own brand of electric folk music.