Named after songwriter/producer
Barrie Lindsay's less-utilized birth name,
Barbara is the more personal second album from
Barrie. It finds the mellow-toned, delay-heavy indie pop outfit operating as a solo project following the mid-2019 dissolution of the original five-piece lineup. Written, recorded, engineered, produced, and mostly performed entirely by
Lindsay,
Barbara includes only a handful of tracks with contributions from either
Ben Lumsdaine (
Mike Adams at His Honest Weight) or Jack Lindsay (her brother) on drums or spouse
Gabrielle Smith (Gabby's World,
Frankie Cosmos) on additional backing vocals. Fans of 2019's
Happy to Be Here will be glad to know that the project's sound is tweaked, not redefined, with
Lindsay making her vocals more distinguishable from plushy surroundings without compromising their wispy, daydreamy qualities.
Smith inspired some of the songs, which were influenced by
Lindsay both falling in love and grieving the loss of a parent. The relaxed, affectionate "Jenny" is a conspicuous tribute to the former condition that incorporates woozy acoustic guitar, slightly overdriven bass, and shimmery organ tones with layered vocals that deliver forward-thinking lines like "I don't know where to love from/Never had to hold myself true to someone" and "Could you love me if you tried?" The more club-leaning "Frankie" works pulsing electronic beats, full kit (by
Lumsdaine), and humming synths into a dreamy post-punk topped off by multi-tracked vocals. Even that song feels softhearted and approachable under
Barrie's sway, as does a song with a title like "Bully," whose dulcimer and lap steel guitar add texture to atmosphere without ever sounding quite of an awake world. While harp doesn't appear on the gentle, relatively spare "Harp 2" ("I never looked right but do you love me now?"), it does appear, alongside trumpet, clarinet, and acoustic guitar (and synthesizer) on the brief "Harp 2 (Interlude)," a rare break from effects on an album whose mood and atmospheres continue to linger long after the tunes. ~ Marcy Donelson