You never quite know what direction Anton Barbeau is going to take. It is part of the enjoyment, because he is never ever less interesting. I also think, in a similar way to Ian Hunter, people either like his vocals or don't. It has never held either back.
Power Pop is one of Barbeau's most accessible albums of recent times. The songs ring out with melody. It contains some fine songwriting and great choruses. I don't think its Power Pop, but is is a splendid Pop album, lyrically strong with memorable hooks.
The Sound is wonderful Psych, maybe even Psych that you can dance to and The Drugs even ventures into McCartney Pop. Free is really funky and maybe a bit Kraftwerk. Running On The Edge Of The Night could easily be on the Miami Vice soundtrack. It is very very 80s.
Whisper In The Wind sounds like Vince Clark is playing on it and Rain Rain has a real New Romantic Synth duo vibe. Valerie's Waiting is a super offering, built around a big synth riff, it is melancholic and mesmerising.
The title track is the best song on show, a song that is out of kilter on what is a very synth led album. That may disappoint fans of Barbeau's that like him plugging in his guitar. But the man has never stood still and this is the first Julian Cope Tribute that I've heard as a song. It is a great guitar solo too.
I'm not that fond of the short interludes on the album, they tend to confuse rather than break the album up. I am however a fan of the additional vocals from Rosie Abbott that add lots to what is a really inventive affair.
It's been difficult to get these choices down to 100. I'm also not a believer in saying one album is better than another. Most of the time you are comparing Apples To Oranges. I'm not a List person, I just think what's the point.
However, for the last few years I have compiled annual Best Of 's because these posts seem so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists. There is no meaning or judgement on an album that is Number 1, Number 100 or not on the list. Anything that I review on here, mention on Social Media or play on the Radio Show is as highly recommended.
There are few rules. All albums have to have been reviewed on IDHAS. Reissues and Live Albums are not included. Previously unreleased albums are included, but Best Of's are not. For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the IDHAS Review where you can find further details and how to listen or buy the album.
It’s a ballsy move to call your album Oh The Joys We Live For, when the entire world is living in fear of plague and pestilence, but Anton Barbeau has never really paid much attention to the contemporary zeitgeist. He does what he likes and this year, he’s made yet another folk-pop-psychedelic-indie-outsider record that sounds a lot like a lot of his other records, only more so. In other words, it’s another great record.
Hot on the heels of last years, sprawling (by law, all double albums have to be referred to as “Sprawling”) double album Manbird comes Oh The Joys We Live For. To make a lazy, Fab Four comparison, if Manbird was The White Album, then the new record is Abbey Road. Sort of. There’s a lovely lightness of touch throughout all twelve tunes and a hearty disregard for any sort of linear thread. It’s like the best jukebox in the world, but all the songs are sung by the same bloke.
If Manbird had an agenda, Oh The Joys We Live For exists for just the joy of being around. The title track leads us gently, but firmly into the album which was recorded on a farm in Sacramento with minimal equipment, but maximum imagination. If you can’t make good music with just an acoustic guitar, an electric 12-string, a Hofner bass and your software of choice, then possibly you should consider another profession. The 12-string gets a workout on Cowbell Camembert which manages to survive having the most twee title since Tallulah Gosh hung up their anoraks and turns out to be a cool hybrid of early eighties disco and Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Well, I think so anyway.
One of her Superpowers has the best opening line of the year so far: “One of her superpowers / Is leaving things as they are.” You have to admit, it’s an attention grabber. Fortunately, that seminal line is bolted to a top-drawer tune with a little bit of McGuinn thrown in.
Three Days The Death Enigma is like Jacques Brel arranged for 1980s, entry level synths. The flute (well, I think it’s a flute) sounds a bit like a bowed saw and is lovely and a bit scary at the same time. That’s a good combination. Talking of the eighties, there’s quite a whiff of the decade that gave us the snood, all over Oh The Joys We Live For. Die Smiling for example. The keyboards and parping sax sound like an alternate reality version of Flesh and Blood era Roxy Music, on a budget of less than the price of a modest round of drinks.
What is surprising about this record, and Barbeau’s recorded output in general, is the consistent quality. He seems to crank these albums out without a care in the world and they’re never less than pretty great. Oh The Joys We Live For is charming, playful, airy and delicious. Isolation suits him.
You can listen to and buy the album here or on the Big Stir site here. You can read Ian Rushbury's writing for Pop Matters here.
“I'm the guy who sells four albums every twelve years, right?” Anton Barbeau talks about “success”, the mainstream, krautrock and the gaps in his Todd Rundgren album collection to Ian Rushbury.
Double albums, eh? Tricky little blighters. You’ve been waiting around since “Quadrophenia” for one to arrive and then two come at once. Just when you thought that everyone was veering away from the epic grandeur of the two-album set, both Spygenius and everybody’s favourite pop-psychedelic troubadour, Anton Barbeau, have released one. Sadly, neither have sleeves designed by Roger Dean, which is a bit of a shame. IDHAS caught up with the King of Air Miles, Anton Barbeau, to find out why the world needs a krautrock infused, pop-rock-psychedelia concept album about travelling (and music), loaded with avian references.
“Manbird” is a good, old fashioned, lavish and sprawling, concept album. But what’s the concept?
"It’s about leaving the nest and trying to find myself in the big scary world and trying to find out what it all is. In the past years, I’ve done loads of travelling and I've been in a permanent state of jet lag for months at a time - always living with a suitcase at hand.
My life has been divided between living in Europe and coming back to California, so it’s looking back at a life of travelling or being afraid to move at all. I think there’s also a theme of music as well,and how music has been essential to me, from the very beginning. I was born a Beatles baby, so that’s always been there, and that plays out in a couple of songs."
And the bird references?
"The bird theme was really convenient as everywhere I go, there are birds – I’m on a farm right now, and I can hear flickers and scrub jays and vultures, bluebirds and hawks and quail. In Berlin there were wood pigeons and crows and magpies."
Recording this album in multiple locations, as far flung as California, Berlin and Oxford, how the hell do you keep track of what you’re working on?
Everything goes onto one hard drive (laughs). At the moment, I have two laptops and everything then gets consolidated onto another computer. I've been making records this way for a while. I've sometimes done the jet lag thing, where the first thing you want to do after you land, is get all the stuff that you've recorded in California on the Berlin drive and I've gone the wrong way. I don't know how I manage to keep it all together, but somehow, I do."
It's 2020 and no one can concentrate for more than thirty seconds at a time any more. Why on earth have you released a double album?
"I knew that this album was going to have a theme to it and that it was going to be a concept thing, because it was inspired by the film “Lady Bird” (a coming-of-age-in-Catholic-school story set in Sacramento, Barbeau’s home town), so I already knew what the timbre of it was going to be.
When I started working on it, I knew that it couldn't be contained in a small space - it felt like it wanted to tell a story. The way I work is that most of the time, I don't know what it is I'm doing until I’m some way down the line, then I can start to see what the themes are.
But in this case, those themes were obvious from the outset and it just made sense that it was going to spread out. There was a moment where I thought, “oh no, it's going to be a triple album!”
The people who pre-ordered the record and helped us fund it in the first place, are going to get a third disc of stuff, but that isn’t as developed as the other two, so the triple album idea was nipped in the bud."
Like some of your recent albums, this record was crowdfunded. This must mean that reaching out directly to your fanbase has been successful?
"Yeah - it’s funny, as the word successful is shocking in relation to anything I do. I'm the guy who sells four albums every twelve years, right? When I was doing a campaign with Pledge Music, I met up with one of the guys who was helping me with my campaign at the time.
He said, “you're one of our most successful artists” and I replied, “what do you mean? How dare you!” He meant that I had run two or three successful campaigns, so by Pledge Music standards, I was successful. I was really taken aback at hearing the word ‘successful’ applied to me and my career."
So, you’re a fan of this method of funding for albums?
"As far as crowdfunding goes, it's been something that I've been able to make work, but it’s also something that I hate doing. Artists who do it, all try to put on a happy face and make it look like it’s an enjoyable thing to go through.
In the case of “Manbird”, we put the campaign together ourselves. We didn't use an outside company like Kickstarter or Pledge, we just set up a website ourselves and that was really enjoyable. A nice organic way to do it. It was from the heart and without any of the icky, behind the scenes stuff. We were setting out our own terms and it was really quite fun this time. Very gratifying. Very satisfying."
It's a great looking package.
"Much credit has to go to (graphic artist) Julia VBH - she’s really pulled it together. We collaborate, but she does much of the work. She did a beautiful job with this. I spent forty minutes the other day just looking at the lyric sheet and poster. It's my own record and I'm still fascinated with it. I wanted it to be something that people will spend time with - especially as it’s a double album, but I was surprised at how wonderful it turned out to be."
The front cover has more than a whiff of an early seventies, prog rock album on the Vertigo label…
That's what we thought, too - it feels very early seventies. There are a lot of things coming together in this record - a lot of things crisscrossed. None of it was planned - you grab this element and that element and you put them together and something new happens. The photo of the canal on the cover was taken two minutes from where I live in Berlin. I'm on that bridge every day, taking pictures of the same canal."
Am I wrong in thinking that the first CD is almost “mainstream”, with much of the weird stuff occurring on disc two?
"I think there's some conscious effort in that direction. Is it mainstream? I don't mind that word. I'll never be mainstream. I always think I'm the next Beatles, but apparently, I'm not! There's still enough weird variety from me on the first disc - it’s still enough of a bumpy ride. I's such a big record that even I can’t say, “here’s my intention at this point, here's what happens in the middle.”
I don't have that vision, but definitely side two is meant to be a ‘B’ side. If you picture the whole thing as a single - two songs on a piece of vinyl - the ‘A’ side is the pop hit and the other track is the weird ‘B’ side. It's not a linear story, I couldn’t write it down on a piece of paper or do bullet points. It's all over the place, time wise."
And stylistically – talk me through the country-romanesque curio, “Cowboy John Meets Greensleeves”, please…
The “Cowboy John” part is the entirety of the first song I ever wrote as an eight-year-old - my first attempt at creating original music and lyrics. I would sit and play it on the piano for hours. And “Greensleeves”, is… “Greensleeves.” I don't think I wrote that... That's an early childhood memory that got grafted on."
Apart from that pre-teenage magnum opus, you haven’t re-recorded any of your previous material for this record, like you did for “Natural Causes”?
"Everything on “Manbird” was written for this record. There have been a few recent records – “Natural Causes” and “Kenny Versus Thrust” in particular, plus the “Antronica” stuff, which are meant to be, either an introduction to my work for newcomers, or a reintroduction to my work to people who may have dropped off to sleep after album twenty-three, or whatever.
There, I’m taking certain songs and giving them a new life, or what I hope is a more definitive presentation. “Natural Causes” is a record that I’m really pleased with. I'm happy with the remakes on that album and it's a very complete album in its own right, even if the songs aren't all original. It’s one of my favourite albums that I’ve done. I think it has a lovely sound to it – Popol Vuh meets pop music!"
Talking about Popol Vuh, there seems to be a little bit of krautrock in “Manbird.” “Beak” and “Beak II” both have a motorik feel. Ever thought of doing a krautrock themed record?
"I have thought about it – I’ve got a few krautrock tracks which are coming out on a pair of Fruits de Mer compilations. They’re not particularly long tracks and I think if you’re going to do it properly, like a forty-minute piece, you really have to commit to it. I can do it on my own, but when you get a bunch of people together to play something like that, it’s a whole different thing altogether. You want that almost spiritual experience.
I did a track called “In a Boat on the Sea”, for an album called “Drug Free” a few years ago. It was at the end of the recording of the album and I wanted to get a bunch of people into the studio, just for the experience of recording live. We ended up doing this really beautiful, krauty track."
Aside from the Germanic influences, do I detect a bit of Todd Rundgren creeping into your work every now and then?
"I'm a fan, but I couldn't say he's a real influence. because I don't know his stuff that well. It's funny because Michael Urbano and Larry Tagg play on this record and they’ve both played with Todd, so there is a connection.
In recent years, I've been digging out stuff by him and starting to get more and more into it and paying more attention. I saw him live once and it was an amazing gig - one of those, "oh right, you're that guy" gigs. But for some reason, I can't claim myself as a bona fide Todd Rundgren fan, but I probably will by next week!"
You do realise that admitting to a lack of knowledge of Todd Rundgren and recording a radically reworked version of Big Star’s “September Gurls” in 2017 for your “Heaven is in Your Mind” EP, will result in death threats from hard-core powerpop fans?
"I can’t even remember how my version of “September Gurls” goes! I'll have to dig it out again. I don't think it was a conscious decision along the lines of, “I'm going to move this song over in another direction - I'll show them!", but I certainly have no patience for rigid thinking in any genre.
I understand that, because the song is so good, that you don't want to dishonour a song that you really care about. When I was younger, I probably would, but we're all running out of time now - life is short and life is precious.
That track came out on Fruits De Mer which is a pretty psychedelic label, so the audience is already pretty freaked out and expecting something unusual. I know Ken Stringfellow and Jody Stephens liked my version of "I'm in Love with a Girl", but I'm not sure if they’ve heard "September Gurls".
And so, we leave Mr Barbeau to brush up on the Todd Rundgren back catalogue and check his front garden for aggrieved, knife wielding powerpop afficionados. “Manbird” is another in a long line of paisley-hued pop rock records that bounces around the musical spectrum like a kangaroo with ADHD. But this time, there’s double the amount of it. It might not be as linear as that concept album about the deaf, dumb and blind chap, or the one about the lamb lying down in Broadstairs, but it’s well worth the time and effort. Get your headphones and make yourself, comfy, you’re in for a fascinating ride… just watch out for the birds.
You can pre-order Manbird and listen to and buy other Anton delightshere. ........
I've been a fan of Anton Barbeau for more years than I'd care to remember and those who have known me for a while will know exactly why. The musical spectrum that he covers coincides with my own tastes. Despite all the jangling chords here, my true love is Psych, particularly of the pop variety.
Barbeau is from Sacremento, but lives in Berlin and you can tell that in the songs present here. The Pop is bursting to get out. yet the undercurrent is more mechanical, dripping with Psych. A great example is Baby Can I Hold You, a pop masterpiece in the making.
His connections show both his range and his influence. Colin Moulding, Kimberley Rew, The Bevis Frond and Scott Miller. His 2006 album with the latter, What If It Works? is a masterpiece. He also produced Allyson Second's splendid Little World. You can read that review here.
Then there is the associations with the likes of Mystery Lawn Music, You Are The Cosmos and Big Stir. You get the full scope of his variety on Berliner Grotesk. The chaotic Love Song that is the title track, with it's fairground darkness to the Beatle-esque closer that is Boxcat Blues.
There are a thousand ideas here , all fashioning up bizarre visions with the lyrical excellence. Then there is the fantastic, don'tforgettogetyourfingerwet, one of the best songs that I've heard all year, hints of Robyn Hitchcock in a Chinn And Chapman frame.
Here, more than any other Anton Barbeau album, the base is great Pop. There are the usual fine Psych journeys. but it's the melody that springs out. 11 songs in a magical half hour, this a cracking listen and highly recommended to all.
You can listen to and buy the album here. You can find out more about Anton Barbeau here.
2018 has been a fantastic year for the type of music that we like. It's been difficult to get these choices down to 100. I'm also not a believer in saying one album is better than another. Most of the time you are comparing Apples To Oranges. I'm not a Top 10 person, I just think what's the point.
However, for the first time last year, I did a Top 50, normally I just say what my favourite album of the year is. I've simply done it again, because those five posts of last year were so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists.
As I said the standard this year is incredibly high, so much so that I've extended the choice to 100 albums. There is no meaning or judgement on an album that is Number 1, Number 100 or not on the list. Anything that I review on here, mention on Social Media or play on the Radio Show is as highly recommended.
For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the IDHAS Review if applicable.
Allen Clapp is largely known for the Magnificent Orange Peels. although his solo work matches anything from the band's great back catalogue.
Mystery Lawn Music was founded by Clapp in 2009 as a way of releasing The Orange Peels' crowd funded album 2020. After the album was released, other artists approached him to see if they could appear on the label.
At first it was mainly North Californian bands that were produced at Mystery Lawn Studios. Clapp realised that most bands could get their music ready for the world, but didn't know how to release it for general consumption.
Mystery Lawn Music has grown and grown and the initial half a dozen artists are now approaching 20. It has developed into a community of like minded musicians, far beyond that North Carolina base. The artists often play together, swap band members and ask each other for advice.
The 18 songs on offer are from a varied selection of artists. Some are well known to Power Pop fans, such as The Orange Peels, The Corner Laughers, Anton Barbeau, The Flywheels, Agony Aunts, Jim Ruiz and William Cleere. Others are less well known, but every bit as good.
11 of the 18 songs present are exclusive to the compilation, for many this is the premier. Of those 11 songs, Allen Clapp himself has included Friend Collector.
Mystery Lawn Music offers up a vast array of talent that enhances all's music collection and sphere of musical knowledge. It is available for the bargain price of 5 dollars here. It's also available from the likes of Amazon, iTunes and Spotify.
