The Buffalo Club (Rising Tide, 1997)

It must sound like a can't-miss-easy-as-one-two-three idea - at least to the tin-eared tycoons running much of Nashville these days.

1.) Put together a band of guys who have at least been close to greatness (Buffalo Club consists of Restless Heart's drummer, the former lead singer of the Christian group the Imperials and Charlie Kelley who's played guitar for Doug Stone, Tom Wopat and others).

2.) Pick up a few of those 12-for-10-cents hot new country songs.

3.) Stand back and rake in the bucks. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple - yet.

There are some definite sparks on The Buffalo Club's album - the harmonies are above average, and Ron Hemby's vocals deserve better material than anything here - but not enough to catch fire. (And what does it tell you when a band's first single "If She Don't Love You" is one pitched to and rejected by Restless Heart five years ago?).