Barr - Summary [Up Set The Rhythm - 2007]Imagine a talky teen drop out psychotherapy student come outside artist take on motivational spoken word recordings, then add in a lo-fi vague musical backing that hovers over a few different musical genres and you’ll have Barr’s Summary. Things start in fine fashion with the indie pop piano and drums march of First, with Burr (aka Brendan Fowler) painting an awkward but heady collection of word play over the top in fine emotional slacker form, sounding like a more weedy and talky version of Fog’s Andrew Broden. The rest of the album follows in a similar manner musically switching between emotional melodic piano craft, rhythmic rolls and more rocked out stuck indie rock craft. With Fowler’s spoken word craft touching down in loss, regret and hope, all high in quirkiness and inventive captivating take on word play. I can see this going down well with those who enjoyed the more spoken-word slacker indie edge that Anticon have gone towards in the past. Or tuneful indie with spoken word elements, those who enjoyed William Shatner's collaboration with Ben Folds Five- will lap this up too. Roger Batty
|