B-Side Guys

Youngstown, Ohio breeds a particular kind of toughness—not the showy variety that announces itself, but the quiet endurance that simply refuses to be moved. Rolling Boxcar International channels this regional DNA into “Buffalo,” transforming the humble American bison into a metaphor for confronting life’s inevitable storms with deliberate, steady-footed defiance.

The track’s driving rhythm mirrors its central thesis: that resilience isn’t about avoiding difficulty but positioning yourself correctly when it arrives. RBI’s multi-instrumentalist approach creates a sonic landscape that feels both expansive and grounded, where powerful instrumentation serves the song’s encouragement without overwhelming its essential message. Their production choices reflect an understanding that anthems don’t require bombast—sometimes they just need conviction.

The buffalo metaphor operates on multiple levels of meaning, drawing from the animal’s legendary ability to face storms head-on rather than flee from them. When the band delivers “Turn, baby, face the wind and be a buffalo,” they’re not just offering advice—they’re providing a survival manual disguised as a love song. The imagery of standing “like the old oak tree casting shadows all around” reinforces this theme of immovable presence in the face of chaos.

What elevates “Buffalo” beyond simple motivational rock is its acknowledgment of human frailty within the framework of strength. The admission “Even though I’m no good, you took the time to come around” suggests that buffalo-like resilience isn’t about perfection but about showing up despite your limitations. RBI understands that true toughness often looks like vulnerability wrapped in determination.

As the opening track of their forthcoming album, “Buffalo” establishes RBI as a band willing to tackle life’s fundamental challenges without cynicism or false comfort. They’ve created something that functions as both regional anthem and universal encouragement, proving that sometimes the most radical thing you can do is simply refuse to run when the wind picks up.