Avail / Tim Barry "28th and Stonewall"
From the moment you hear "28th and Stonewall" come stomping in with the raucous and raging electric guitar driven barn-burner "Thing of the Past" it's clear that Tim hasn't lost a bit of his vitality; in fact, he's never sounded more compelling. Funny; wistful; heartrending; clever; impassioned; antagonistic; candid: Tim really draws from a wide range of emotions in the 12 tracks of "28th and Stonewall." Touching on everything from failed slave revolts, urban sprawl, moments of self-reflectivity, difficult relationships and living unapologetically, this record truly pulls no punches.
Not only is this perhaps the strongest and most varied set of songs that Tim has assembled lyrically, it just might be the most musically interesting thing he's ever done; featuring bolder contributions than ever by guest musicians like the No B.S. Brass band who appeared briefly on "Manchester," frequent collaborators sister Caitlin Barry and friend Josh Small as well as some new faces like Daniel Clark, these songs really display Tim's ability to expand his palate and experiment while still staying true to his roots. Recorded again with Lance Koehler at his Minimum Wage Studios in Richmond, VA, Tim has said of "28th and Stonewall": "The quality of the recording is by far the best Lance has done."
