DAVE BARNES"CHASING MISSISSIPPI"
(2006)
"Everybody But You"
I first became aware of Dave Barnes when the track "Everybody But You" appeared on a Paste Magazine sampler CD a few years back, but I ended up waiting nearly two years before finally picking up this album ... and I'm sorry I waited that long. The album's title notwithstanding, there's little doubt that Barnes hails from the American South, with most of the tracks slathered in blues and funky soul, like a pat of butter on a thick slice of cornbread.
When he's not kickin' out the southern R&B, he lays down an equally tasty '70s-throwback AM-radio groove on "Someday, Sarah" and "Stay Away" (in the latter of which he bears a striking vocal resemblance to Don Henley), crafts tender country balladry on "Jackson" (featuring an appearance by Vince Gill) and "I Have And Always Will" (with Amy Grant), and pounds out a contagiously joyous gospel jam on "All That Noise".
No wonder "Me + You + The World", Dave Barnes' major-label debut from earlier this year, left me so cold ... it's because this one was such a tough act to follow. Dave Barnes is a man of faith, but fortunately for me he keeps his music largely secular here (as does Matt Wertz, a friend of his who actually makes an appearance on this album as well). I'll have to do a little investigating to see if his debut album is worth getting, too....
If you want a Matt Wertz album, get the Twenty Three Places album. But all of them are great, but that one is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteI actually have that Matt Wertz album as well as "Everything In Between" (which I bought first and still like more, at least for now) ... excellent musician who I hope goes far!
ReplyDelete-T
His first major label release comes out Sept 16. Its gonna have older songs (probably ones you already have) and some new ones. You know how they do?
ReplyDelete