BUFFALO – Average Rock ‘N’ Roller ’77 [Remastered reissue +2 bonus]

This is for ’70s rock n’ roll fans: BUFFALO 1977’s album “Average Rock ‘N’ Roller“, in its remastered digipak version including 2 bonus tracks. We already featured an album by this team members underground favorites, now as requested, here’s another platter from these Australian rockers.

“Average Rock ‘N’ Roller” is perhaps Buffalo’s most varied album release. Ok… it’s 1977 and like others before them, Buffalo were at the crossroads. Sure they were packing them out across the country on the endless town hall circuit but the albums were still very much cult items which is all fine and groovy but it doesn’t pay the bills nor keep your record company willing to release and promote your music.

New members guitarist Chris Turner and bass player Ross Sims both brought a pretty different sound to the band. Rocking, with some boogie, musically it reminds of Humble Pie (although Dave Tice bluesy growl is a million miles away from Steve Marriot’s high pitched screeches). There’s also acoustic guitar based numbers. “Rollin’”, the first single from the album, may well be the best acoustic song the Rolling Stones never wrote.
The title tune has a vibe similar to all those 70s British bands, while “Hotel Ladies” is, in our opinion, one of Buffalo’s finest ever moments; it to has that acoustic bluesy feel but it develops over its 5 plus minutes into a huge dynamic piece.

“Sailor” written by drummer Jimmy Economou could also have been snuck onto “Goats Head Soap” or “Exile on Mainstreet” without anyone noticing too much. Rose Tattoo’s Peter Wells appears as guest on ‘Rollin’ playing bass and piano.
Once again we must salute Aztec Music for re-releasing these albums and allowing them to be heard by future generations of Buffalo fans. Lead man Dave Tice still gets around doing his Buffalo revisited live shows from time to time and they worth checking out.
This band has often been criminally overlooked in the pantheon of OZ classic rock greats.
Highly Recommended

01 – You Say
02 – Rollin’
03 – Average Rock ‘n’ Roller
04 – Hotel Ladies
05 – Bad News
06 – Sailor
07 – Rhythm Madness
08 – Hero Suite:
I . Lend Me Your Ears
II. Crying Out For Help
III. Between The Line
09 – I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party (Dave Tice Single)
10 – Sweet Little Rock’n’Roller (Dave Tice Single)

Vocals, Harp – Dave Tice
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Chris Turner
Bass – Ross Sims
Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Jimmy Economou

with:
Peter Wells – bass (track 2), piano (track 4), dobro (track 6)
Mark Simmonds – saxophone (track 3)
Shirley Reed, Penny Dyer – backing vocals (tracks 2 & 5)

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