Barbara. Barrie

Barrie is Barrie Lindsay, a singer-songwriter from New York with a knack for pleasant, slightly alternative pop songs. After releasing an EP and an album in 2019, called 'Happy To Be Here', Barrie releases her first self-produced album on which she plays many instruments herself as well.

She chose to make an album that relies on electronics, instruments and for her voice at times, but always hovers somewhere between pop and dreampop. Listening to the songs on Barbara will bring you dreamy singing, in combination with a few, different styles of music. Pure pop mixes easily with 1980s pulsing synths and digital drums. The item that keeps it all together is that dreamy voice.

Another argument to like Barbara, is the variety in songs. Although most songs have a slightly downcast, melancholy mood, due to the singing style, the songs sound different because of the approach. Organic instruments are used in one song, while others are mostly electronic. It allows for a totally different feel.

What I do notice, is and that is fairly unique I should add, I like Barrie a lot better when it plays in the background. In these circumstances the album makes me feel good. Listening to it intently has the opposite effect, as it makes me want to listen to something else. Not a favourable circumstance when writing a review. This is one of those occasions to be alone with just the album, my ears, mind and keyboard to type on.

Not all is negative. 'Quarry' comes by, one of the electronic songs that has a swirling quality because of the synths. A soft kind of 'Always Ascending', Franz Ferdinand's great opening of its newest album. The song has a delicate nature, a rough edge and an intricate arrangement with different synths playing through each other but always a good fit.

Barbara is an album containing traditional songs in a modern package. Not aimed at the charts, I think, because these songs have nothing to do with the formalistic songs I sometimes hear on a radio. Barrie is able to surprise with her musical explorations and is not happy with one kind of song. For those who love a singer-songwriter somewhere in between pop and dreampop, Barbara could well be your next favourite album.

Wout de Natris