10th of Seas, David Barbe's third solo album, and first new album in seven years, will be released on August 18, 2017
on Orange Twin Records. Barbe has been referred to as having the most
widespread influence of any single person in the Athens, GA music scene
due to his involvement with so many different artists and projects over
the years, from his start playing with noise damaged groups like
Mercyland, Bar-B-Q Killers, and Buzz Hungry in the 1980s and '90's; to
his stint as bassist in Sugar (Bob Mould's legendary post-Husker Du
band), with whom he toured the globe many times and released three
classic records; to his work as an engineer/producer on hundreds of
albums, including those by Deerhunter, Drive-By Truckers, The Glands,
Son Volt, New Madrid, Bettye LaVette, Harvey Milk and Muuy Biien. Many
of these were recorded at his Athens based Chase Park Transduction
studio. The album's first track, "Portuguese Door," got its premiere
yesterday on Consequence of Sound.
10th of Seas
marks a departure for Barbe in that he performed and recorded the
entire thing by himself, playing all the instruments. Everything.
"I
wanted this record to be as close to the original source of inspiration
as possible," Barbe says. "I tried recording some of the songs with
other people involved a few times, and it was better in some ways, but
always seemed something was lost in translation. The communication
became less personal. I felt like the emotional gravy is the glue, so I
reverted to working like I did when I was teenager making 4-tracks.
Working fast. More feeling it. Less over-thinking it. "
Album
highlights include: "Portuguese Door," slippery and melodically
complex, and the opening burst of "Dim Bulbs," the lyrics of which
contain the album's title. 10th of Seas is a reference to exploring the outer reaches of one's mind.
Barbe
says: "The phrase 'sailing the seven seas' did not mean just crossing
the known bodies of water, but to go around the world and back. To sail
across the 10th of Seas would indicate traversing through the unknown,
to have seen it all, and then some."
Barbe
will tour America this summer and fall in support of the album backed
by Inward Dream Ebb, the alter ego of Athens-based psych-rockers New
Madrid, with whom Barbe has produced several albums. Dates below:
June 13 - Slims - Raleigh NC
June 15 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia
June 16 - Songbird - Washington DC
June 17 - Webster Studio - NYC
June 19 - Knitting Factory - Brooklyn
June 30 - 40 Watt Club - Athens, GA
July 1 - 529 - Atlanta, GA
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