The Midnight Ghost Train - "Buffalo Review #2" ...

The Midnight Ghost Trainb (TMGT) is a band birthed from tragedy. See, the band was formed to honor John Goff, friend of TMGT mastermind Steve Moss. Goff passed away too soon but instead of dropping off flowers and forgetting his pal, Moss formed a band, so’s to eulogize Goff every time they play. And you’d think the album band with such a heavy beginning might be a downer (which ain’t a bad thing, hell this is a doom metal website) but TMGT took the ol’ New Orleans funeral route and threw a party then added a bit of fuzz. You’d be right if you said they rock. And so does this record. It’s called Buffalo and was recently released it on Karate Body Records. I bought the vinyl and dropped the needle and couldn’t escape the groove. It’s almost impossible to not move yer head on the first track, A Passing Moment of Madness, especially if you got a belly fulla ale.

Now the first track’s an instrumental and on the second cut we are introduced to Moss who growls his blues away like Neil Fallon with rusted nails in his throat. And with that said here comes the inevitable record review comparison. Sounds like who meets who? I’d go with Clutch meets Kyuss. Intrigued? Listen for yourself and see. So, the rest of the record rocks, never strays too far from the groove laid down on the title track, till you hit Cotton Fields, which has, get this fuzz heads, just vocals, hand claps, and a tambourine. But it works, and I’d love to see it in some grimy club with all the other tattooed wonders clapping along. After the almost acapella track we get some acoustic guitar and then it’s back to rumbling stoner rock for two tracks and they you’re done. Eight tracks and they are out, they’re on vinyl time.

And if their beginnings ain’t tragic enough Moss’s father’s dying words to his son were to keep playing music. To never stop rocking at all costs. So check out Buffalo and buy it to keep his Goss’s dream alive. Or if you don’t care about this man’s dreams just buy it ‘cause it rocks. Hell, just buy it for the cover. I might buy another copy and swap it for the beat up Paranoid sleeve I’ve got hanging from my wall.

Words: Justin Gish

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