The Denver trio, Barbara, likes to figure things out as they go. They approach their blend of shoegaze and gritty psychedelia with a dry sense of humour and released their sophomore album, ‘SO THIS IS LIVING?’, earlier this year.
‘Burn Me’ – We dive straight in with a silken, ghostly sound. It’s airy and so atmospheric. A tight beat comes in with some echoed bongos. You can feel each touch of the hand. Camilla Vaitaitis’s vocal holds each note steady as it disappears into the distance.
In the second half, things get bigger and bigger, adding layers of reverb and distortion as things develop into a psychedelic haze. We even get a horn section. One of the most unique, organic tracks I’ve heard in a while, it feels like an excerpt from a ’60s film soundtrack.
‘Tart Cherry’ – Almost a bosa-nova vibe with its crisp rhythm guitars, warm bass and shuffling beat. The ethereal, cavernous vocals return, and it reminded me of vintage Sade with those smooth, lush tones. Another pretty melody rings out, and it becomes almost meditative. Just then – the beat hits and things change once again.
‘y r u here?’ – A repeating, stepped melody is reinforced by the beat, which creates a funky little track. I loved the guitar sounds, which were just raw enough without getting too dirty. The funk increased until I was forced to jump out of my seat. Of course, this is not the end of this story because the track suddenly becomes a nightmarish cacophony of distortion and whispered voices, through which the song emerges again, funkier than ever. I think I need to go and make a cup of tea.
‘So this is living?’ – Retro, bosa-nova-style rhythms and guitar riffs return, but with a darkness and a menace that intrigues. The full bass and wide percussion sound amazing. This band really knows how to conjure up tension and drama out of thin air.
‘Anyways’ – A slower, more deliberate pace puts the focus squarely on another honeyed vocal that drapes the track in a thick smoke. The distortion of the guitars becomes almost overwhelming by the end.
‘Dark Water Disco’ – Quite a simple track at first glance. A throbbing bass and a beat that is quite far back, vocals still ever present and another haunting delivery of the melody. By the end, it has morphed into a strange, organ-driven funk-disco party. The album is full of cleverly ambiguous lyrics, and this track contains a great example:
“Walk with me slow, give my body a break, Dark water flow, she could sweep us away
My head’s a cage of white in the middle of town, Climbing the neck at midnight and not looking down”
‘My Birthday Party’ – Basslines are another big part of this album, and Bridget Hartman’s bass is front and centre here. A light, wide guitar is the perfect contrast. Camilla’s voice is a little cleaner here, a little less ethereal.
‘Side Effects’ – Another left turn, and the band hit us with an angular, jazzy instrumental with some incredibly funky moments – and a killer riff. Anna Panella’s drums sound really punchy here and form the backbone of the track.
‘Bndryl’ – the album closer starts with a spacious intro full of hidden noises, new instruments and lovely little touches that form a beautiful soundscape. It starts to grow and build, eventually bearing down on us like a terrifying, psychedelic monster from an alien world. What a fittingly unexpected finish!
One of the things I loved about ‘SO THIS IS LIVING?’ is that the songs all feel like they belong together. The tracks feel like chapters from the same book. For my money, this is a much bigger, more ambitious record than their debut album. These are all highly original tracks that are hard to pigeonhole. Packed with melodic ideas, they each have complex, inventive arrangements, which means you never know what’s around the corner. The album twists and turns like smoke in the breeze.
Barbara creates their own rules, and then they breaks them – one track at a time.
Written by Grubby
