Happy October dear readers! We are kicking things off this month with new music for you! Gordon Barry is a Wexford based musician who’s newest single ‘Roll With The Punches’ is out today! And we’ve decided to review the entirety of Gordon’s most recent EP “All The Live Long Year” for you guys. This is going to be an EP for those of you who enjoy country music. We, at Our Muchness Guide, enjoyed the mellowness of the EP and the fact that it is an easy listen with interesting musical moments.
Gordan’s music is defined as alternative folk but from the outset of the EP there is plenty of country tones and swampy, bluesy New Orleans vibes. Consisting of 4 tracks, ‘All The Live Long Year’ covers a range of themes including life, love, loss and what might have been.
Prior to releasing ‘All The Live Long Year,’ Gordon Barry’s debut EP ‘Sojourning’ and the subsequent tour led him to America where he met renowned country artist Steve Earle and Gordon was then invited to take up a scholarship in Earle’s school for songwriters, Camp Copperhead. Gordon’s first album ‘The Best Way to Kill a Monster’ included the single “Devil & St. Jesus” which went on to win the 2017 International Songwriting Competition in Nashville. Of the 20,000 competitors for the prize, Gordon came out on top due to his “vivid imagery and deft turn of phrase.” Needless to say that Gordon’s lyrics are a key part of the heart and soul of all his work and well worth a close listen as you peruse his most recent release and his back catalogue of work.
Of course you can follow Gordon on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and find his musical catalogue on Spotify and you can keep an eye on his personal website for updates as well. But, for now, let’s dive into a review of the new EP ‘All The Live Long Year. In terms of sound, Gordon has not strayed too far from the easy listening Folk/Country vibe that suits his voice so well. Anyone who is a fan of the folk scene will be surprised to hear that this uniquely soothing vocalist is from Ireland and not from America!
All The Live Long Day
E: In my initial listen through the EP, I found myself finding similarities between the sound of the opening song, ‘Old Fashioned Morphine,’ and that of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ “Red Right Hand.” Far more melancholy than later tracks, this cover of Jolie Holland’s track is a darker rendition than the original but it is a fresh take on the song as Barry blends qualities of New Orleans’ blues with a far more gothic tempo. The tracks that follow have a far more mellow, country/bluegrass sound and are loaded with Gordon’s unique lyrical style, however, the more vibrant melodies of Gordon’s own tracks are at odds with the darker lyrics. ‘My Name Is Never’ is a steady rhythm loaded with the promise of what could have been. With the repetition of key lines, I feel that the song implies that the chance was fleeting and ultimately missed. The melancholy tone of this song’s lyrics are disguised by the more mellow, soothing music. “Ghost of a River” is by far the most detailed in terms of the imagery it provided and it is because of Gordon’s lyricism that the imagery of this song comes to life.
‘Roll With The Punches’ is a life lesson in a song: “Sometimes the hard things are easy to leave” but not once does he say that those hard things should be left. To me, Gordon’s most recent release from his EP encourages the listener to continue despite the hardships that one may face and that things worth doing won’t necessarily be easy but that doesn’t mean you should give up. Overall, Gordon’s EP is a stunning blend of country and bluegrass with hints of folk and Americana music; none of which seem to be completely at odds with the lyrics Gordon has constructed. To me, the lyrics seem so carefully chosen in order to create maximum impact and, in some cases, vivid imagery that is so very rare to find in modern song writing.
N: Although ‘All The Live Long Day’ is filled with sweet melodies, the EP itself is haunted with darker lyrics and tough topics including life, love and loss. Gordon uses vivid imagery within his lyrics matched with strong instrumental moments to create a collection of relatable and interesting songs. I, personally, find it difficult to find music that creates such vivid imagery and scenery in the mind of the listener but Gordon does this with ease. You can clearly hear the moments of each song where the genres of Country, folk and Americana have been great influences. Although Barry himself has said that the EP holds “alternative folk songs for the new age” the EP holds clear ties to music of the past. Overall I enjoyed the EP and will be adding it to my easy listening playlist.
Old Fashioned Morphine
Starting off the EP is ‘Old Fashioned Morphine’ with its repetitive chorus it is the easiest song on the EP to sing along to. However, having said that, it is the song on the EP that made me question: What exactly is the musician going through? The meshing together of the lyrics, instruments and speed of this song left me with more questions than answers! You can almost feel the pain seeping from this song.
My Name Is Never
The song has some fantastic vivid imagery moments but, for me, this song is all about the instrumental moments. The guitar solos are a personal favourite of mine. It is also the song on the EP that I find the easiest to listen to, to just chill to. This one feels like it is telling the story of the character of ‘Never’ and there is a unique story narrative within the song.
Ghost Of A River
Personally my favourite song on the EP. Keep your ear out for the instrumental introduction of this one. The use of vivid imagery used in this one is intense too! Close your eyes and lose yourself to the lyrics of this song. ‘A long black veil goes over your eyes’ the use of a symbol of mourning and loss is used to tie the listener to the ‘Ghost Of A River’.
Roll With The Punches
Prepare yourself for the instrumental introduction of this one. The cello and violin combination was a good choice to introduce you to a song which holds a lot of symbolic ‘growing up’ and ‘meaning of life’ moments for the artist it seems. ‘Roll With The Punches’ may also be the song that hits home the most with listeners but I will let you be the judge of how it affects you.
The single “Roll With The Punches” and the EP ‘All The Live Long Year’ are out now and available on all good streaming download platforms.
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