Richard Buckner

Brilliant as he may be, Richard Buckner occasionally falls into the trap of combining his oppressed lyrics with a morose musical sound that's perfect for breakups, breakdowns and funerals, but not much else. He takes a different approach on Meadow , reuniting with longtime producer JD Foster and working with erstwhile members of indie pop band Guided by Voices. For the first time in a decade, his songs have a driving sense of purpose that still works with his tales of the downtrodden.