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The Barbaras is the latest band to grace Memphis’ premiere garage rock label, Goner Records. Their debut three-song 7-inch EP, which defies conventional categorization, is a beautiful little slice of lo-fi pop that exits your speakers like sunshine and honey mixed together on an August afternoon.
What’s the recipe? A twist of soul, a squeeze of ’50s falsetto, a dash of warm and fuzzy production value and a jigger of joyful bubblegum sensibility, shake it up and pour it in your ears. The effect is better than a vodka lemon drop.
Featuring members of Jay Reatard’s backup band as well as members of Memphis psych-folk act Kazalok and garage-punks Boston Chinks, the Barbaras is a seasoned act worth keeping an eye on. The songs are not only well-crafted but also free and easy, mixing influences as diverse as Del Shannon and the 1910 Fruitgum Company for an effect that is distinctly fresh and modern as well as old and wise. Rumor has it they’ll be releasing an album on In the Red Records in the not-to-distant future, but for now you can sample the pleasures of the Barbaras for free on their MySpace page.
And by all means, if you own a turntable, check out the 7-inch.
– Jason Gelt
Photo: Goner Records
Read more of the Magnanimous Collector here.
funny how it takes someone like Jay Reatard to come up in the ranks recently for people to suddenly recognize Memphis as a scene. Memphis’ scene has been going strong since the early 90’s - Oblivians, Gibson Bros, Tearjerkers, Persuaders, Reigning Sound, Jack Oblivian, Lost Sounds, The Limes, Harlan T Bobo, American Death Ray. Good job to Eric and Goner Records for finally selling some records …. but Memphis’ scene has always been there, sadly no one really paid attention