" From start to finish, this is a magnificent album that is daring when most bands are straying away from classic rock.."

from Recycled Music

 
Written by Ben Montgomery   
Wednesday, 06 October 2004
I want to publicly thank Peter Gammons.  Had it not been for the baseball writer’s ESPN column a few months back, I never would have been reintroduced to Bill Janovitz. Janovitz had contributed a track to Gammons’ charity CD and the name “Janovitz” sounded familiar.  Thanks to a Google search, I realized that Janovitz is the lead singer of the under-appreciated band Buffalo Tom.  Notice that I used the verb “is.” Yes, Buffalo Tom is still around though they are on an “extended vacation” from recording and the members have pursued other interests.  Janovitz, for instance, also dabbles in real estate. But, Buffalo Tom’s taillights never did completely fade and I have been a sodajerk for not continuing to follow one of the early 1990s alternative treats. And, yes, there were some blatant references to Buffalo Tom songs in that last sentence.
Janovitz’s album does not resemble a leftover Buffalo Tom album.  If it is a leftover, Janovitz does a great job masking that fact.  Janovitz delivers a rocking and introspective record that as a whole eclipses any one album that Buffalo Tom produced.  From start to finish, this is a magnificent album that is daring when most bands are straying away from classic rock.   Those classic roots, coupled with a slight twinge of country for good measure, provide the listener with a rocking album.  Some of the songs (“I Found Out” and “Minutes of the Day”) could be argued to fit into the neatly titled “alt-country” genre thanks to Bill’s choice of harmonies, electric keyboards, and twang of the guitar. That categorization would be too convenient.  Instead, Janovitz seems to be asking, “What ever happened to the ‘rock’ genre?”  Janovitz tries to answer this question by recording songs that rock with feeling and are catchy without too much pop sappiness.   Janovitz not only knows how to rock, but his lyrics are just as interesting. “Mary Kay” is an ode to Mary Kay LeTourneah written from her student lover’s perspective.  Somehow Janovitz transforms this creepy love affair into a modern day Romeo and Juliet.  I actually became somewhat sympathetic to the couple’s fate.  “Almost Beating” is the poppiest of the albums’ tracks and could have seen life on mainstream rock or alternative radio had the song been released ten years ago. “Believe” could also have been a single. The dark ballad “Whisper to Yourself” is also a highlight, though a bit of a contrast to the album’s otherwise upbeat rock tempo.  
The enjoyment of this album comes from the fact that there is plenty of variety and newness, yet enough of the classic Buffalo Tom foundation.  The musicians blend wonderfully together and lend themselves to Janovitz’s rocking vision.  Janovitz’s versatility is best exemplified in the title track “Fireworks on TV.” The song is available twice on the album, once in a more radio-friendly version form and again in a garage-band inspired form (which Bill calls the “Basement Version”).  Both renderings are excellent and reminded me of a time when rock and roll musicians could rock without screaming for attention.  
Why is it that a talented musician like Janovitz has to resort to selling real estate in addition to writing and recording songs?  Bill, if I ever move to the Boston area, I’ll buy a house from you. In the meantime, it’s about time I purchased another album or two from Janovitz’s catalog in support of this gifted songster.