As someone that has been listening to Richmond, Virginia’s Avail for over a dozen years now, it should come as no surprise that I like Tim Barry but I’ll be honest here that as much as I love Avail, it took seeing Tim Barry live and in-person at the Revival Tour earlier this year for me to really fall in love with his solo stuff. His first two releases were good, but holy fucking shit! His latest album, Manchester is so much better than I thought it would be. It is avail-able now from the fine folks at Suburban Home.
The album puts Tim’s brutally honest and captivating country-rock on display for everyone. It’s got a heart of punk-folk that places less emphasis on the punk and more on the Southern-fried folk rock. It is the sort of album that just grabs hold and won’t shake you loose (not that you’d want it to). Manchester is (however) not an album that you can casually listen to. Well, you probably could, but you’d be missing the point.
For all the added instrumentation (fiddle, banjo, pedal steel, etc…) and musicians that help him out on Manchester, it is really all about Tim Barry the storyteller. He weaves true-to-life tales of men that are frayed and beaten-down but never broken, for even amidst the the cacophony of life, Barry reflects and inspires. His delivery is full of such sincerity and depth that his words and self-reflection ring that much truer; they’re impossible to ignore and instantly memorable. And as much as I liked his previous releases Rivanna Junction and Laurel Street Demos, there is just something about Manchester that is just amazing. Seriously, it is fast becoming my favorite record of 2008.
MP3 | Tim Barry – This November Manchester
MP3 | Tim Barry – “222” Manchester
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It took seeing him live for me to appreciate him too.
I appreciated the honesty of your review and on the strength of it and the two downloads you provided, bought the disk.
It is ALL absolutely great! And like you – if I had heard it prior to, would have found a place on my best of collection that i have handed out as a New Years card for some 20 years.
In fact I intend to collect all his releases.
i love the line in Ronnie – I think I’ll stay here getting older,and angrier and getting louder with each passing day …
A great find … the type the keeps me checking out new music year after year.
Thanx