Under the Influence of Buck (Palo Duro, 2007)

It'd be hard to think of a better title for a Derailers tribute to Buck Owens, because the band has been unabashedly under the influence of Buck since its beginnings. That's not to say that, palpable as that influence has been, it has been the Derailers' only inspiration, however, or that the band has been nothing more than a Buckaroos epigone. On the contrary, the band has steadily developed its sound over the course of its recording career, rendering whatever force that claim might once have had increasingly irrelevant.

Not this time, though. Apart from a few touches (the organ on "Cryin' Time," for example or the Dobro on "Down on the Corner of Love") what's here is, basically, 13 carbon copies of the original versions, right down to Brian Hofeldt's vocals. It is, no doubt, a heartfelt tribute, and one that's as spirited and well-executed as it is heartfelt. But by hewing this closely to the Owens originals, The Derailers don't give us much reason to listen to a full album of their versions.