CD Reviews
Once a hired gun for the likes of Feist, Jason Collett and Hayden, gifted guitar-slinger Afie Jurvanen seemed destined for a career as a side-guy — that is, until he stepped out into the spotlight as Bahamas with his acclaimed 2009 debut, Pink Strat. Now he’s a headlining act in his own right — and his sophomore album, Barchords, makes good on the promise of that low-key, understated first record. This is another easygoing collection of straight-shooting, straight-from-the-heart love(lorn) songs, but it’s more assured; Jurvanen sounds much more confident as both a vocalist and songwriter. There are plenty of rough-hewn gems to be discovered here, from the rollicking blues-rock stomp of I Got You Babe to the soulful shuffle of Lost In Light to the intimate, lo-fi lullaby that is Montreal. Perhaps what’s most appealing about Barchords is how unadorned and exposed it is; there’s no bullshit — just really good songs.
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