The White Buffalo, aka American singersongwriter Jake Smith, has made seven albums that blend grizzled Americana and feisty folk-rock, but for his conceptual eighth, Year Of The Dark Horse, he wanted to expand his sound. “The songs are still there, but it’s sonically elevated,” he says. “Not that the whole country thing disturbs me, but I’ve never been into those boxes, and didn’t really think I fit in anyway.”
As you’ll see from his choices here, his influences range far and wide, whether he’s sticking on some ELO to kick-start his day, or