“Brewed in Buffalo” by Organ Fairchild
Summer may be officially over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep dancing like it never ended. If you’re looking for something to dance to, you might want to check out the debut album from Organ Fairchild. They’re bound to add some funk to your day.
Organ Fairchild is a relatively new band from Buffalo, but the trio who make up the band are veterans of the western New York music scene. These guys have been playing together since the 80s in a popular cover band called Western Nights, but they’ve recently delved into writing their own original music with the recent release of their debut album, Brewed in Buffalo.
Track Review
“Amateur Night at the Apollo” introduces the listener to Organ Fairchild, and I think it does a fairly good job of showing the mix of blues, funk, and 80s electronica that the band specializes in. True to its title, it does sound like something that would be played at an amatuer night at a blues club, but with a slightly more modern sound, which is impressive, considering the more classic influences these guys pull from.
“Bailar” takes inspiration from Latin American culture, rhythmically and instrumentally, though in my experience with Latin music, this comes off as a little tame. The tempo does pick up later in the song to add to the vibe, but it’s still not my favorite. I found the guitar part a little strange, and the electric organ part didn’t make sense within the context of the song’s themes. I get it’s their thing but it seems out of place in this track.
“Seepin’” is uptempo, fun, and in my opinion, one of the better tracks on the album. Though, as I feel about many of the songs, it would be better if it was shorter. I like the way they play with rhythm a little in this track, but I’m not a fan of the ending. The fact that in the same key as the next track “Cherry Tomatoes,” makes them seem a little too similar. Rather than the tracks fading into each other, it instead just makes it hard to distinguish between the two.
“Dylan St. James” is the final track of the album, and my personal favorite. It features a super slow, mysterious guitar intro, and it’s overall definitely a little different from the other tracks in its overall tone. The solid bassline makes it more danceable and fun to listen to than the other tracks, though it still could be 2-3 minutes shorter.
Verdict
One of the most important things I can say about this album is that this is not the kind of music I go for when all I want to do is listen to music, but that’s what you have to do for reviews. This definitely wasn’t one that I enjoyed reviewing, but that wasn’t what it was made for. This album is good background music at a bar or something to dance to. Still, my experience with it was somewhat tainted by how bored I occasionally got listening to it, as none of the tracks are under 6 minutes long.
Fundamentally, all of the tracks could be shorter than they are. Almost all of them feature guitar solos that are 1-2 minutes long, which takes away some of the magic of guitar solos. There’s something special about letting the guitarist just go off and do their own thing in a solo, and I think having too many of them hinders the main effect of the solo itself.
Overall, I can’t say I’m majorly impressed by this one. These tunes have been done before, and I see no real reason to choose this album over any other blues album, modern or classic. Still, if Organ Fairchild is playing at a bar, I can see how someone would have a good time listening to them or dancing along to this album.
If you’re interested in listening to Brewed in Buffalo, you can find it on all major streaming platforms. If you want to know more about Organ Fairchild, you can check out their page here on The List.
