Chris Barron and I started following each other
pretty recently, which is probably why when I was listening to his album, Pancho
and the Kid, I was thinking
it was new. It's actually from 2009. That's okay; it still feels fresh.
There are some nice, bluesy vibes (listen to the
intro on "Stars") that made me wonder about the origins. I would not
have been surprised at Southern roots. Instead, Barron's ties seem to be to New York and New Jersey, but he shares those
ties with John Popper of Blues Traveler. Whether that is more of an indication of
a good blues scene in Princeton or that music simply transcends geography, I don't know. The musical
classification listed on Facebook is roots music/rock/Americana, and that seems
mostly right. (The "Americana" part could imply something overly precious, which is not the
case.)
While the guitar is the predominant element, Barron
judiciously adds elements of violins and piano on some songs, enhancing their
moods and beauty. "Can't Kick The Habit" is a good example of that.
Lyrics are well worth listening to, well-spoken and
relevant. "Part Of Me" is deceptively simple, and feels very
personal. We all know that feeling.
The other thing that I learned researching is that
there was a time when an acute form of vocal paralysis made it quite possible
that Chris Barron would never sing again. Knowing that makes Pancho and the
Kid even more of a gift.
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