Press:
Reviews
MSN Entertainment writer
album review
Anne Brodie
Buzz Deluxe
self-titled
Mix lightning guitar, cornpone, and kerosene and you have Buzz Deluxe, a thoroughly impressive self-titled CD from just two musicians but it is uncommonly complex and dense.
They are musical visionaries, blending nearly unimaginable diverse genres into pulse racing, thematic songs. It's an unusual word to describe an album of rockabilly but it is fascinating, careening from one hot sound to a cool one, bound by literate, clever lyrics and blazing asides, layering visceral and fantasy elements.
Buzz Deluxe is symphonic in nature, sophisticated musical storytelling with emotion and elegance. It's kick-ass fun, even scary at times. It tips the hat to the White Stripes, the Doors, Country Joe & the Fish, and the Eagles but remains defiantly unique.
The Dales have a great retro look-good Elvis meets Tammy and the some.
It's a rockin' package, one of the strongest and most unusual albums of the year.
(The author has worked in the media field for over 30 years and has reviewed and interviewed a multitude of major label musicians, from Wyclef Jean to Mick Jagger. You can contact her at www.annebrodie.ca)
"Stay Slick" CD Review
Knee Deep in Squaresville Toronto Fanzine
The second release from Toronto rockabilly band Buzz Deluxe. This is a real cool modern rockabilly album-though JD Lucks himself prefers the term "Real Rock n' Roll".
This record is full of floor stomping songs with a whopping load of great guitar work. JD pulls a little bit of everything out of his guitars.
You like frantic rockabilly solos- he's got 'em, you want some cool jazz flavours- well, he's got that too. Check out "I'm Not Scared" for the gypsy jazz style solo and a great smoky vocal line.
"Gordon" may be the coolest song anyone has ever written about a dog... great vocal hooks, a great shout-along chorus and another of JD's ripping guitar solos- this is a definite crowd pleaser.
Take a listen to the song "Buried Alive" for its dark, menacing swamp-stomp feel...creepy!
In short, "Stay Slick" swings, it rocks and it rolls!
"Devil's Work" CD Review
Backwoods Beach Party (London area Promoter/Radio show)
At $5 post-paid this disc is undervalued, showcasing some serious talent. The Horton Heat influence is unmistakable &, like the Rev, Buzz Deluxe's guitar sound seems an experiment in controlling chaos.
thecannon.ca (Univ. of Guelph student resource/news site)
Next up was Buzz Deluxe. This was the start of the rockabilly-based music for the night: Hollowbody guitar, slicked back hair thick with pomade, vintage mics, Bettie Page on the screens and on t-shirts. They pounded the drums and tore up the guitar for the small crowd at the Shadow as they burned up the floor dancing and moshing. They were a great opener to The Creepshow being a bit more conventional with their rockabilly styling. They’re a good band working their way up out of Toronto. Check them out at buzzdeluxe.com.
The Night Buzz Deluxe Came To Town
Alliston Herald, Alliston, ON
Last night a little known band in this area changed the mind of 100 locals at the dusty saloon known as the Loretto Tavern. The roof was indeed raised higher than it had been in a long time, and caused even the most stagnant of barflies to forget about their swill and turn around to catch the spectacle that was present.
With a legitimacy and style that was once only associated with the 1950's, Buzz Deluxe rolled through the gamut of era-correct original songs, to include Surf-style instrumentals and hiccuping rockabilly vocals. Then they danced on the heavy-side of Rock n' Roll for a while but no one seemed to mind.
All in all it was a quality night, with quality musicians playing quality music in quite a different way.
Review of Punktoberfest 8
Apathy-World Magazine
"Rockabilly Still the Original Punk Rock!"
Last night amongst a crowd of mohawks, safety pins, and ska band after ska band, one shining light stood out. Local rockabilly/punkabilly act Buzz Deluxe came out to a very receptive audience, that had obviously seen them before, and ripped right into a Psycho-Surf instrumental that harkened back to the days of Dick Dale and Link Wray.
At one point Jesse Dale, the singer/guitarist, hopped up on the PA speaker as a garden of hands reached out to touch his guitar, Rock and Roll heaven!
They played a tight set, packing in a lot of Rock n' Roll, with little chit-chat, for a good 35 minutes. And just when everyone thought they had seen it all, the (now ex-) bassist threw his bass and equipment off the stage for no explainable reason, and then we watched the broken remains of a beautiful bright orange bass literally crowd surf right to the back of the huge gymnasium where some kid ran off with the body!
The 500+ kids in Newmarket are lucky to have such a thriving punk scene, especially one where they get to see the roots of it all so close.
Don't be suprised if a few mohawks turn into pompadours the next time around.
"Blue Special" CD Review
Knee Deep in Squaresville Toronto Fanzine
BUZZ DELUXE
“Blue Special”
The new Buzz Deluxe album is in! The lead track is another of the Buzz crew’s instrumentals so all you guitar freaks can get a good dose right at the start. Next up is a real cool cover of “Bopalena,” a song I can never get enough of and this version really kicks! The other and perhaps “odder” cover on Blue Special is the Dwight Yoakam song “Red Dresses” which they take in a whole different direction than Dwight himself. It begins with a nice jazzy swing, goes through an unusual breakdown and fades out on a really sweetly played acoustic guitar.
Jesse’s penchant for different subject matter rears it head on “Brown Derby Shake” a swinging rocker about his favourite hat- seems like this guy can write a song about damn near anything!
The title track, “Blue Special” is an ode to Jesse’s antique auto- a great rocking song, though from the lyrics, the car itself needs a lot of work! You can check out a video over at their website.
“Firecracker” is a straight up rocker with cool stops, a great vocal performance and fantastic guitar work- this has got to be my favourite Buzz Deluxe song, so far anyway!
Check out some great acoustic playing on the song “Every Time I Hear that Bang” a dark blues rocker about Russian roulette.
I love the cover art of Jesse James Dale chasing the Buzz Deluxe ladies driving off in the Blue Special (cover by Emily Thomas)
Go buy it online at buzzdeluxe.com
And make sure you play the whole disc— there are some surprises long after the last song is done….
~Christian D
New Album Review
Christian D (Knee Deep in Squaresville)
BUZZ DELUXE
“Buzz Deluxe”
The new album from Buzz Deluxe, this 15 song self- titled CD rocks! Although, I have one question - how about a lyric sheet next time? There are some pretty clever lyrical twists here and I’d like to make sure I’m not missing anything!
Did you ever ask yourself what real Rock and Roll is? Buzz Deluxe have the answer to that question. Ripping guitars, primal drums and a great vocal- that’s real Rock and Roll- and that’s exactly what this disc is all about. Featuring lots of new songs, and some re-recordings from the Buzz Deluxe back catalogue, they strip it all down to the basics for their new adventure as a two piece band. No bass-with Kerry’s steady sticks on the skins, her charming backing vocals, and Jesse filling in the sonic soundscape with the Gretsch guitar and his hillbilly vocals, well, we don’t need no stinking basses!
“Long Legged Boogie” is a new Buzz classic – great lyric about his gal’s legs, featuring a distorted vocal, heavy guitar and some deep Kerry Lyn Dale drumming.
“Big Thick Shoes” is Jesse’s song about his creepers, clever funny and cool, with some neat stick- clickin’ and hi-hat work from Kerry.
“Firecracker” (previously released on Blue Special) is still one of my favourite Buzz Deluxe tracks –and this version is even better!
“Attention Way” may represent the birth of a genre – Maritime death polka! You have to hear this one to believe it.
Buzz Deluxe are still blazing through their version of rockabilly/ real rock and roll, but seem to developing their voice into something even more unique and idiosyncratic than their previous recordings. Fantastic CD- buy it– and check out some songs and the dates for the U.S. summer tour on their myspace site!
~Christian D
Band review
Dano Von Drat of the Von Drats
On the weekends, when my girl Jen and I are hangin...
On the weekends, when my girl Jen and I are hanging out, getting ready for a party, or heading down to a gig, we put a Buzz Deluxe album on. Like the live shows, Buzz Deluxe albums are a non-stop action packed rock'n roll good time. I am looking forward to hearing anything that they put out, and I recommend their music for anyone who loves true rock'n roll with some adventurous twists and turns. Check out their videos on youtube.com or take a listen to them on myspace.com
Real rock'n roll, every step of the way!
Sincerely,
DanO von Drat
(Dano is a dedicated 'low-brow' scenester in the Toronto area and also plays bass in the soon to be legendary 'Von Drats'. We respect his opinion, most people should.)