Delivering a set of accessible tunes aided by his signature guitar work, Martin Barre has released a studio album for 2018 called Roads Less Travelled. The former Jethro Tull guitarist showcases some of his best solo songwriting and playing across the album’s 11 songs.
“Lone Wolf” is a tight number with a banjo flicking push to the verse, great harmonies, catchy choruses, and just the right placement of Barre’s guitar. Like most of the songs on Roads Less Travelled, this one is arranged with lots of space between the acoustic and electric instruments with some appropriate drumming that never steps on anything.
With three vocalists — Dan Crisp, Becca Langsford, and Alex Hart — taking turns, we get a full range of possibilities. The rest of the players — Alan Thomson on electric and fretless bass, Darby Todd and Aaron Graham on drums, Josiah J on percussion and Hammond organ, and Buster Cottam on “stand up” bass — effectively help bring Barre’s musical vision to life.
The title track skirts the line between heavy blues rocker and MOR territory. We get some of Barre’s best leads, while Hart’s backing vocals on the chorus add some extra sparkle. Hart sings lead on the stomping “Badcore Blues,” featuring Barre showing off some slide chops. On “You Are An Angel,” Hart imbibes a sweet ballad, backed by Barre’s classical guitar.
“Trinity” sees Barre weaving acoustic guitar and mandolin around one another in a Medieval-sounding instrumental. Josiah J’s organ leads “…And The Band Played On,” a torchy mid-tempo number, once again featuring Hart on vocal. Entering progressive rock territory before slipping into a strain of contemporary jazz, it’s a nice way to end Roads Less Travelled.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
