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Nov. 20 - Nov. 27, 2011 |
Barr Brothers step into spotlight
Montreal band tours North America with strong debut CD
By Kerry Doole
Originally Published: 2011-10-09
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Barr Brothers
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The Barr Brothers are American imports we definitely want to keep. Brothers Brad and Andrew Barr relocated to Montreal from the U.S. in 2005, and they have become highly-respected members of that city’s thriving music scene. Along with harp player Sarah Page, they formed The Barr Brothers, a group now poised on the brink of real international recognition.
Last week their self-titled debut album was released by noted Montreal label Secret City, home of the likes of Patrick Watson, Plants and Animals, and Miracle Fortress. As we learn from guitarist/singer/chief songwriter Brad Barr, this is more correctly a re-release. “We’d been recording these songs for three years. Just tracking songs as we were figuring out how to record ourselves in our studio. Then we asked The Low Anthem, a group from our hometown of Provincetown RI that are doing really well, if we could do a West Coast tour with them, and they generously agreed. We thought we should have something the audience could take home so we compiled the tracks into an album, and started selling it at shows and through our website. That was back in April 2010, then Justin at Secret City recently decided he had enough room on his schedule to fit us in. I’m glad the record has the chance of a wider release.”
Despite this delay, Barr says they’re not tired of the songs yet. “I’m sure after another year of playing these songs we will start getting sick of them. I knew it was a good set of songs when I wrote them. My brother told me after a gig the other day ‘it’s strange I’m not sick of them yet.’ But we have been introducing new songs, and . I’m tempted to say the next record is almost completed, in terms of the writing part.”
The Barr Brothers is a compelling work scoring rave reviews, though Brad Barr jokes “we need some really negative reviews to create some controversy!” The group pursues a diverse musical path. Tunes here range from a driving Black Keys-style blues cover to chamber-folk and Americana-based material to tunes utilizing African rhythms and guitar sounds. “I like your phrase ‘naturally eclectic,’” say Barr. “That can be a virtue or a vice. I don’t really have a style myself as a songwriter. I come at it from a bunch of different places. They’re all coming from me, so they don’t feel like great departures to me. It can make it a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the listener.”
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