Search - Peter Buffett :: One By One

A lost gem

Distant Voyageur | Io | 10/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1989 second outing from one of my favorite artists "One By One" is a marvelous album in it's own little way. "One By One" is overshadowed by all of the albums that Peter has recorded since then but this album still is very good and is worth buying, if you can find it. The album has a sense of searching for a defined style and is much simpler than many of the albums that have been released since then. The album as a whole has a relatively clear winter evening mood to it. "Sprint" is by far my favorite song on this album, featuring awesome melody, semi-danceable and a fast mechanical rhythm, something that made 1987 through 1991 so great, and intense atmospherics. I love the last minute of the song with the multi-rhythm. Another great song on here is the following track "Big Theme". This song is an enchanting and uplifting song with a mellow rhythm yet gorgeous 12 string guitars and haunting echoing chimes or church bells to go along with the song. The first sign of the Native American color that would dominate much of his later works surfaces on the seventh track "Promises". It's a very pleasant and jazzy track. The rest of the album is good too but these three songs are the highlights for me. "One By One" is a great album to own and is worth searching for. This album does not touch the haunting and stunning beauty that became 1992's "Yonnondio" nor does it even come close to the heartbreaking, and life-altering adventure that was 1994's "500 Nations" but still "One By One" has it's own charm that makes it worth buying. If you can find it, buy it. It's a bummer that this great album is not available in most retail stores anymore. They should re-issue all of his pre-500 Nations albums again especially "Yonnondio"!"