Noah Wotherspoon & The Stratocats - BuzzMe (2001) [CD Rip]

Personnel:
Guitar, Vocals – Noah Wotherspoon
Bass – Marty Romie
Drums – Josh Johnson (15)
Guitar – Hubert Sumlin (tracks: 8, 10)
Vocals – Hubert Sumlin (tracks: 10)
Piano – Celia Price* (tracks: 6)

Songmaking used to be simple. You thought up some lyrics, found a supporting guitar riff, and added some drum work to roll the song along. It was a labor of love, not dollars. When you performed, the tune was not overproduced to death, but kept humanistic and clean. To find this simplicity still alive and well as personified by Noah Wotherspoon & The Stratocats is very refreshing. On their major label debut, Buzz Me, the band offers an engaging set of country blues rock. Four covers (Lookin' Good, Walking Dr. Bill, Cloudy Day, The Sky Is Crying) support the seven originals nicely. The album ranges from the jazzy blues of Satori In Chicago to the nearly ambient Underpass At Sunrise. But the highlights are The Highway Song and Leave My Mama Alone. The Highway Song starts off with beautiful guitar work that carries the song along with Noah's confident, raspy lyrics. It's bluesy rock at its finest. Leave My Mama Alone is calmer, but no less meaningful. The intermittent piano chords during the chorus interact with the band beautifully. Buzz Me is not an absolutely awesome album, but it's very good; and shows the promise of things to come. If you like Pete Yorn, Tom Petty, or the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou?, give Noah Wotherspoon & The Stratocats a listen. ~Christopher Betche