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The Barn Burners | Alibis

Bob Kannenberg and band finally hit their stride.
CD, Run Wild

Tekst: Steve Schmidt

Publicatiedatum: 12 februari 2001

Perhaps nothing is more frustrating than to have a band shine on their debut, only to see them lose their focus or settle for lesser material for round number two.
Rest assured that the Barn Burners not only avoid a sophomore slump; they take an impressive step forward. 'Alibis' builds on the solid foundation the Burners laid with their first album, 'Tobacco Sunburst'. Led by singer/songwriter Bob Kannenberg, the Baltimore-area quartet has put together a strong collection of ten originals and one remake, T-Bone Burnett's 'Little Daughter'.
Like the city of Baltimore itself, the Burners' sound successfully straddles the line between North and South. Kannenberg sings the blues of the working man in the rocking 'Dice Are Loaded'. The frustration continues with 'Thinkin' Hard and Drinkin' Harder', only this time it is country blues. The song features deft pedal steel work against a 50s rock'n'roll backbeat - a combination that definitely works. In 'Just Because', a honky-tonk rave-up, Kannenberg pays homage to a fistful of country legends including George Jones, Hank Williams, Ray Price, and Buck Owens. The Burners get up and boogie with 'Jenny Lee', which will have you two-stepping before you know it. 'Hey Little Darling' and 'Can't Happen To Me' keep the heat turned up, while 'Rebel Bop' chugs along with a CCR-inspired backbeat. The album's standout song, the country-tinged 'Big Tree', paints a beautifully sad picture of a highway patrolman who earlier in life "felt like a big tree/watchin' over you all". Now, at retirement, the feeling has become "like a big tree/waiting to fall". The tree metaphor works perfectly and showcases Kannenberg's best writing to date.
'Alibis' is polished enough to show that the Barn Burners take their craft seriously while making it clear that they still believe rock'n'roll is supposed to be fun. And what could be more fun than listening to a band hit its stride?

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/the-barn-burners/alibis/96/
Meer The Barn Burners op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/the-barn-burners