ONE WE MISSED: Bobby Bare Jr: Undefeated (Bloodshot/Southbound)

 |   |  1 min read

Bobby Bare Jr: The Elegant Imposter
ONE WE MISSED: Bobby Bare Jr: Undefeated (Bloodshot/Southbound)

Country music fans know Bare's dad as the voice out front of a string of mainstream but smart hit singles and albums in the 60s and 70s. But Jr – now close to 50 – has turned hard left into dark alt.country and some bruising boogie rock.

However on this – which he has referred to as his break-up record – he's not beyond melancholy ballads (If She Cared comes on like Josh Ritter or Joe Henry), Beatlemania-era pop (Blame Everybody But Yourself) or what sound like influences from orchestrated Britpop (Don't Wanna Know).

Despite the various sources being tapped, these enormously impressive songs mostly explore mean spirited moods (he sings “you're gonna miss me when I hit the big time” over a monochrome backdrop and an urgent beat), cynicism (the gorgeously melodic Elegant Imposter) and some bleak emotional landscapes . . . but frequently with wry humour.

He co-wrote the honky-tonk banjo'n'boozy, marginalised-father song My Baby Took My Baby Away here with street-poet singer Hayes Carll.

The exceptional band – the Young Criminals' Starvation League – which includes drummer Doni Schroader from Trail of Dead and everyman David Vandervelde deliver with raw empathy, and Bare's diverse arrangements make for 10 pithy, stand-alone songs.

This Bare wins praise from Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and his producer Mark Nevers (Lambchop, Silver Jews, Calexico) but, unlike his old man, won't get inducted into the Country Hall of Fame. By the time the final song Don't Stand at the Stove finishes its psychedelic trip however, you'll conclude country's loss was alt.rock's gain.

Bobby Bare Jr has been around long enough to know country and rock history but clearly feels beholden to nothing and is chopping out his own path. That makes for a rare, engaging, constantly revelatory and unexpected album packing a lot of information, poetry, life experience and free-range rock'n'roll into its 38 repeat-play minutes. Recommended.

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

Jools Holland and His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra: Rockinghorse (Rhino)

Jools Holland and His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra: Rockinghorse (Rhino)

The celebrity-guest collections and R'N'B Orchestra discs from Jools Holland have often been tasty but a few not entirely successful. This sometimes breathless rush of boogie-woogie piano, big... > Read more

Jenny Hval: The Practice of Love (Sacred Bones/digital outlets)

Jenny Hval: The Practice of Love (Sacred Bones/digital outlets)

Norwegian multi-discipline artist (novelist, songwriter, sonic experimenter, collaborator) Jenny Hval is – like Laurie Anderson – someone who melds the spoken and sung word with unusual... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE REGGAE QUESTIONNAIRE: Logan Bell of Katchafire

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE REGGAE QUESTIONNAIRE: Logan Bell of Katchafire

Elsewhere has long gone into bat for the reggae gifts of Katchafire who walk a canny line between righteous roots and pop-reggae without ever standing too close to the barbecue. They have... > Read more

EPs by Shani.O

EPs by Shani.O

With so many CDs commanding and demanding attention Elsewhere will run this occasional column by the informed and opinionated Shani.O. She will scoop up some of those many EP releases, in... > Read more