OVER the course of his storied career, one enduring characteristic of Barrie James’ output has been a cavalier approach to new genres and sounds. From the heady days of Kassidy’s globe-trotting pomp to the forlorn self-examination of Cold Coffee, this constant distaste for the parameters of adhering to one aesthetic or well meaning, admiration-based pigeon-holing has culminated in the spectacular ‘Free Like A Bird.’
The first indication of what awaits on his sophomore solo record which is set for release via Glasgow’s own Holy Smokes, his long-awaited return from self-imposed musical exile has seen him plunder the depths of an multi-dimensional new sound. Anchored by his irrepressible propensity for melody and off-hand lyrical profundities, ‘Free Like A Bird’ registers as an inherently apt title for a track that is unconstrained by any preconceived expectations.
Incorporating everything from the slinking psychedelia of Canned Heat and King Crimson to the more immediate terrain of grunge tinged alt-rock, his new offering sets him in a newly devised lane and careering towards an unpredictable and thus entirely transfixing destination. The sound of inner turmoil and manic bouts of happiness vying for supremacy and bolstered by always welcome smatterings of saxophone, the track will feature on the forthcoming record Psychedelic Soup with Barrie set to play an intimate show at The Old Hairdressers on the 7th December.
Check out the track now below:
