Barr- Skogsbo is the Place
(Sakuntala Records SAK001)
Barr- Skogsbo is the Place
(Sakuntala Records SAK001)
Barr are a new Swedish folk act on a new sub label of Transubstans. The entire record was recorded in one session in the forest in Skogsbo. The band is 7 members playing laid back folk music. Barr means pine needle in Swedish. The CD features 7 tracks in 43 minutes, giving the band plenty of time to play their instruments as they are not singing all the time. Summerwind opens the CD and is sung in English and features male and female vocals, hand drums, violin, acoustic guitars, harmonium, double bass, and a great melody. Words Would Do uses a shaker as the rhythm instrument and again very beautiful guitars and melodies and flute as well. He ain’t a Friend, He’s a Brother is a real friendship song. The next track, Calling my Name starts with some harmony vocals and beautiful 12 string guitar and a lead female vocal for the first time. Beautiful Beautful track. The title track is next and a short mostly instrumental piece. Moonfall has a nice repetitive line running through it but is mostly a vocal track and in the vein of the others on the CD. Sister - Lovers Alone is a long 10½ minute track to end the CD but is only 6 minutes of music and then some field recordings and talking at the end... a strange collage of stuff for 1½ minutes and then into an acoustic track that sounds a bit like Pink Floyd until the singing. This is a really pleasant acoustic music CD. I did not find it psychedelic in anyway at all as some have described it but the players are excellent, the compositions beautiful and moving.
Check out the band web site at:http://www.myspace.com/barrmusic
Check out the Record Label web site at:http://www.recordheaven.net
Reviewed by Scott Heller