1989
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Barker
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/nickbarkermusic
www: http://hiredgoons.com.au/ (his label’s website)
Rock? Country? Blues?
d) all of the above.
Essentially …Goin’ To Pieces is more pub rock than anything else; but GOOD pub rock that has been translated into a studio well. Some songs you can almost hear the drunken crowd go wild shouting the chorus and others waving their lighters in the air.
When I listen to the album in that context, I wish that I had’ve seen Nick with The Reptiles at The Tote back in the day (I was underage at the time). The album has actually been very nicely produced though, so as to not actually just sound like a pub band.
…Goin’ To Pieces has some classic bluesey ballads (accompanied by some great blues harp), some loud, lowdown, dirty rock and some good ol’ country rock.
Think Steve Earl meets Johnny Diesel & The Injectors (leaning more towards Johnny Diesel though) with a healthy dose of ZZ Top thrown in. In fact you could pick from any number of influences and you’d probably be right, but there’s no mistaking Barker’s voice or his style for anyone else.
If you like rockin’ blues and music that sounds great in a pub then this is well worth a listen.
Standout tracks are [Sure Beats] Goin’ To Pieces, Down Today, Show You The Scar, The Bells and Make Me Smile [Come Up and See Me] (this song was famously done by Paul Kelly, but I’m not sure who actually wrote it).
7.5/10
