Search - Garland Jeffreys :: Don't Call Me Buckwheat

GARLAND JEFFREY'S MASTERPIECE!

Patrick Earley | Edmond, Oklahoma USA | 03/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Garland Jeffrey's fabulous album from 1991. It comes 10 years after the rock oriented "Escape Artist". Instead of the tales of twisted love he sang about on Escape Artist, this time Jeffrey's tackles the social problems and racial prejudices of our times. "Don't Call Me Buckwheat is one of the most important, hard hitting records since Marvin Gaye's masterpiece "What's Going On". Although Jeffrey's lyrics run us through a tour of life's darkside here, musically, this album is gorgeous. It has a soulful, R&B sound, along with a little reggae, doo wop, and gospel thrown in. He backed here by some of the best musicians New York has to offer. I don't know if it's the slick production, but Garland Jeffrey's singing is much better than on any of his previous albums. I always thought he had a great voice for singing reggae, and he does a great job here on "WELCOME TO THE WORLD", which I think is better than anything he's ever done. If you're looking for an album that's got a deep social message, with in your face lyrics, and the music to back it up, I can't think of a better album to have, and it comes highly recommended."

Top of his game

Nelson Yomtov | NYC area | 03/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This brilliant blend of 90s musical sensibilities coupled with Garland's biting observations on life in this here America outdoes any of his early material which earned him enormous critical praise in the late 70s/80s. As always, top studio musicians by his side, Garland taps into the issues he has long addressed in his musical career -- race in America, disenfranchisement, bittersweet love and above all, hope and the promise of a better future around the corner. From start to finish, the music THROBS; energizing your feet and your mind."

Superbly done!

Dan Lauber | USA | 04/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nobody else has quite captured in music the racial issues Jeffreys addresses on this uniformly magnificent CD. And while the lyrics often seem to be too insightful to be rock 'n' roll lyrics, the tunes continue to captivate the soul. Jeffreys brings to the fore the many emotional and practical conflicts and pains felt by quite a few Americans who might be characterized as "mulatto." If you care about bringing an end to American Apartheid, you'll probably enjoy this album. And if you don't care, by the end of listening to it you may begin to give a damn."