"I got more talents than God's got mosquitos"
Sam Barron's unique blend of anti folk puts you in a multi-generational head space. His sometimes abstract prose is stitched together with sounds that feels as much like proto punk as classic Americana folk all smashed together. When I listen to the songs on his latest album "Just Couldn't Help Myself" (produced by Brian Speaker) I thought of Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Jeff Tweedy, and Dr. Dog. As a Brooklyn native his deep love and sometimes disenchantment with New York seems burned into the background of his relationship songs either as atmospheric fodder or metaphorical paint.
Dangling from Barron's gritty tortured vocal performance are tons of commentary about life and the world. From the tenderly twisted (and brilliant) Red Mercury, to the sardonic Bombero, to the subversive 22, to the purely beautiful Make Light of this Life, to the bittersweet Russian Love- the album in total plays like a dark comedy and like the best dark comedies fills you with smiles and tears at the same time. Check out the video for Russian Love and look out for my full review of "Just Couldn't Help Myself" soon.
By the way, Sam Barron will be touring with Mimi Oz doing 14 shows between DC to Kentucky (see dates way down below).
-Robb Donker
Tour Schedule:
April 21- DC. TBD
April 23- Winston Salem, NC. Muddy Creek Music Cafe
April 24- Wilmington, NC. Reggie’s Tavern
April 25- Johnson, TN Acoustic Coffee Shop
April 26- SC. The Town Pump
April 27-Augusta, GA. The Place Coffee Shop
April 28- Athens, GA. The Flicker Bar
April 29- Savannah, GA. The Erasery.
April 30-Gainesville, FLA. Civic Media Center
May 1 Birmingham, AL. Syndicate Lounge
May 2 Muscle Shoals, AL. TBD.
May 3 Oxford, MISS. Shelter Van Buren
May 4 Memphis, TN. The Buccaneer
May 5 Louisville, KY. Gallery K and Magnolia (Two shows)
Brooklyn native Sam Barron is hitting the road this spring on a two week tour through the southeast. Joining Barron as he brings his indie rock vibe into the deep south is Canadian artist and songwriter, Mimi Oz whose album, Men Who Never Loved Me, was released this past fall. Playing 14 shows from April 21 to May 5, Barron and Oz will be jumping from state to state, starting in DC and ending in Kentucky with stops in North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi in between.
Barron's new album, Just Couldn't Help Myself, throws the quirky charismatic poetry of Elvis Costello into the ring with the gritty, yearning Americana of Bob Dylan and Jeff Tweedy. A Tom Petty for the millennial bar scene, Barron brings tremendous range to the stage with tracks ranging from abstract and introspective to crazy and fun. The world traveler Oz, who has reaped inspiration during her time living all across North America including Mexico City and Toronto, brings her own sound to the stage with songs from Men Who Never Loved Me. With her melodic vocals and musing lyrics, a la Jenny Lewis, Oz's new album is not your typical run of the mill love sick standard we've become so used to but rather gives us an inverted take on the genre by combining levity, reflection, and just enough sorrow. For fans of the indie rock scene and just great music in general, this is simply a tour that can't be missed.
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