Richard Barone
(Bar/None)
You may not have heard much from Bongos leader Richard Barone in the past decade but that doesn't mean he hasn't been busy. In addition to writing and producing music for others (among them, Fred Schneider, plus a posthumous Tiny Tim release) as well as being at the helm of the Bongos reunion and reissues, he also wrote an autobiography. Barone, however, had had enough of being behind the scenes and had been working with legendary producer Tony Visconti for Glow, their first collaboration.
The record is a fine mix of sweeping, baroque pop (the title track; "1,2,3...Infinity"), some obvious Beatles-influenced material ("Gravity's Pull"), as well as some sparser, but no less powerful, cuts too ("Silence is our Song", co-written with ‘60s pop songwriter Paul Williams). Let's also not forget the driving beat of the futuristic "Radio Silence" and the beautiful cover of T-Rex's "Girl." With a unique mix of styles and tempos (and some heavy-hitting collaborators) Barone has exceeded all expectations on this terrific return to form.
DOWNLOAD: "Gravity's Pull," "Silence is our Song" TIM HINELY
