Richard Buckners image as the moody alt-country troubadour with the husky croak is firmly entrenched. Not only has the dude always sounded like a grizzled old man, in just about every picture out there he refuses to smile, often opting for more of a sneer. That said, recent years have seen the Brooklyn denizen drift from his roots in the hard-as-nails Texas country-folk of Townes Van Zandt, Joe Ely and Terry Allen. On 2006s Meadow, the singer-songwriters second album for Merge Records, he filters blues, folk and country through modern rock. In fact, Buckner kind of sounds like Mark Lanegan, just not as tall and brooding. Good thing the Tractor Tavern has made this a seated show because this guy is a sonic barbiturate.
Sat., April 25, 6 p.m., 2009
