Barry Black

(Alias)
by Lex Marburger

So, Barry Black is the frontman for The Archers of Loaf. He did a solo project. Wow, it’s pretty damn good! There’s an air of silliness throughout Barry Black, but that doesn’t mean he can’t play. The mostly instrumental songs are more ingeniously crafted than most albums trying for the “Indie Goof” label. You can hear lots of different influences going on throughout, from Middle Eastern melodies to surf guitar. I wouldn’t call it World Music, but it’s certainly more interesting and diverse than most of the crap on college radio. This can’t really be listened to all the time; it takes a specific mindset to be able to take the disjointed, loopy lines used in Barry Black. I’d say that among the necessary tools would be a copy of the Baghavad Gita, a box of fresh strawberries, and ordinary household bleach. What you do next is up to you. Have fun!