MP3: Barry Adamson – “Destination (Mush Remix)”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:42 — 10.8MB)

Barry Adamson
I Will Set You Free
Central Control

Links:

Barry Adamson Official Site
Barry Adamson on Facebook

Post punk icon and true visionary by every sense of the word, Barry Adamson started his career with the early 80’s post punk synth pop band Magazine along with Howard Devoto of the Buzzcocks.  Playing bass guitar on all Magazines’ albums and a brief appearance on one Buzzcock album, Barry went on to play on Devoto’s solo albums as well as Devoto’s next band Luxuria. He continued on to play on the New Wave band Visage’s first two albums Visage and The Anvil.

After Magazine broke up, Barry moved to record with Nick Cage and the Bad Seeds first four albums that include From Here to Eternity, The Firstborn is Dead, Kicking Against the Pricks and finally Your Funeral…My Trail. In the late 80’s Barry finally went solo releasing the EP The Man with the Golden Arm followed briefly by his first album Moss Side Story. Barry has also contributed works to soundtracks which most notably include Oliver Stones’ Natural Born Killers, David Lynch’s Lost Highway, and Danny Boyle’s The Beach.

I Will Set You Free marks this British crooner’s tenth studio release with an unmistakable cacophony of musical styles that makes every track unique and drastically different from any other track on the album. It is safe to say that this album has it all ranging from pop, jazz, punk, rock and R&B.

From the opening track “Get Your Mind Right” you realize with its hard-hitting rock rifts over a purely funk rhythm section that this album is a pure joy ride from beginning to end. Sounding as good if not better than the iconic Tom Jones, Barry can belt out a lyric like no other, and it is totally evident on this first song.

The next track “Black Holes In My Brain” is a very jazzy but soulful little ditty that is funky and upbeat with a hint of pop in its soul. It is highlighted by a brief Cab Callaway moment towards the end of the song which is truly genius and fitting. The next song “Turnaround” is a pop song that truly shows off the greatness in Barry’s voice.

Next up is the R & B piece entitled “The Power of Suggestion” which has a quirky sound that is very much like a Jack Johnson song. The following track and first single, “Destination,” is an adrenaline high power punk rock song that is a throwback to his early musical career.

The next track “The Trigger City Blues” is by far the most interesting piece on the album. Part spoken word, part electronic, but altogether telling a story of a crime of passion, including sound effects, gives the feeling of a frame story. Starting quiet and building to an abrupt end, the track leaves with a sort of unfinished easiness but leads nicely into the following song “Looking to Love Somebody.”

The last three tracks off the album include the rock inspired “The Sun and The Sea,” the deep pop soul song “If You Love Her” and the late 80’s synth pop flavor of “Stand In.” The latter song sounds a lot like a cross between Gary Neuman meets The Cars which rounds out this gem of an album.