Buffy Sainte-Marie - Running For The Drum Album Review

Review of Buffy Sainte Marie's album Running For The Drum.

Since embarking upon her folk music career back in the 60's, Buffy Sainte Marie has always stood out from other singer/songwriters. Most of Buffy Sainte Marie's life has been spent in the pursuit of education and enlightenment, not only for herself, but for others too. There is something honest and believable about Buffy's songs, and I think that it's this quality that has ensured that people still know her name 50 years on.

At the start of her career, Buffy was drawn to Greenwich Village in New York, along with many other guitar wielding songwriters, such as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell and Taj Mahal, as well as many other famous coffee house folk stars of the post-beatnik era. In a time of original and free thinking individuals, Buffy still managed to persevere and became a spokeswoman against American Indian oppression. Her powerful and outright political views regarding the treatment of Indian peoples was frowned upon by the collar and tie crew who couldn't handle the truth written in her songs, some of which were boycotted by radio stations.

Her 2009 release 'Running for the drum' still has all of the elements for which she was renowned back in the 60's. The new album contains a fine assortment of upbeat pop songs, slow acoustic folk songs, rousing protest songs and some eye pricking love songs. There are tribal undertones throughout the album and it's clear that Buffy Sainte Claire's aboriginal roots are heavily synched in with her music. Of the whole album, the only song that I thought was a bit slushy and nostalgic was 'America the Beautiful', but hey, apart from that, a cool and easy listening effort from a strong and creative female.

3/5

Rory Taylor