Album Review: Barrie – Happy to be Here


Barrie’s single “Tal Uno”, released last year, was for me one of the stand out singles of 2018 (along with Fontaines D.C.’s ‘Boys in the Better Land’). Their follow up singles, off the EP ‘Singles’ further enhanced my love of the band. Smooth clean jangly psych pop with the most elegant harmonies and the indelible. ethereal vocals of singer Barrie Lindsay.

Barrie’s debut album ‘Happy to be Here’, is out on 3 May 2019 and it is clearly business as usual. This is pure unadulterated sparkling pop with a slightly discerned tinge of funk, adash of melancholia driven by Lindsay’s incredible subtle melodies and evocative vocals. Think of an American M83. There is a strong craft of musicianship in the band that serves the songs rather than dominates them. Above all, there are melodies with more hooks than an international fishing competition. Hooks that bury deep in your brain delivered on a synth-driven crisp production.

The songs ‘Geology’, ‘Clovers’ and ‘Darjeeling’ have already been released as singles and reviewed by Backseat Mafia. They epitomise the silky, driven sound of this extremely enticing album:

Barrie are a Brooklyn five-piece made of Barrie Lindsay, Dominic Apa, Spurge Carter, Sabine Holler and Noah Prebish. While certainly the product of Lindsay’s extraordinary songwriting talent, the sum total creates something special. They have just about finished a European tour, but you can still catch them on the road:

May 02 – Gothenburg, SE @ Oceanen
May 03 – Oslo, NO @ Jaeger
May 04 – Stockholm, SE @ Södra Bar
May 06 – Hamburg, DE @ Mojo Jazz Cafe
May 07 – Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghain
May 10 – Bloomington, IN @ Granfalloon Festival

‘Happy to be Here’ is available on all the usual platforms from 3 May.

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