Walking Around This Town is the latest album from Bernie Barlow, who is without a doubt insanely talented, and the proof is in this collection of tracks. Her career so far has involved backing a lot of big names in the industry, but now is her moment to shine independently. Well, she certainly has.
The album begins with ‘Brave’, a song that has something very intriguing about it, the old school country sound being a really interesting way to start. It’s a bold opening, catchy and captivating and the vocals are crystal clear due to impeccable sound quality, which is a factor that appears throughout all 12 tracks. The vocals also really shine, which is impressive when the instrumentals shine too, just showing how everything is equal parts brilliant. It is certainly a strong opening.
And it doesn’t stop there. ‘Stand in My Way’ is another track that just grabs you from the start. It has a slow beat that feels seductively paced, intricate instrument patterns bridging the gaps where there aren’t vocals. Paired with the crispy vocals though, that just pop once again, there’s just something quite badass about this one, and it might be the epic guitar solo that really helps that.
‘Which Way to Go’ and ‘In Peace’ follow and they feel quite similar tonally; mellow vibes that chill everything out. ‘Which Way to Go’ is very easy listening with quite subtle instruments in the background (until of course the violin steals the show), whilst ‘In Peace’ feels more heartfelt and melancholy.
Song five, titled ‘Enough Time’ picks the pacing back up. You know that instantly from the ‘woo-hoo’ and the clapping on the beat which creates that livelier atmosphere. There’s strong country feels here. Following this, ‘Montana Men’ puts what appears to be a lot of emphasis on the vocals at the beginning, and then once again, the violin adds a bit more depth further in. In this case it makes it more haunting and passionate, and solidifies it as a beautiful composition.
It feels juxtaposed by ‘Stay Right Here’ which is much more upbeat but still in a chill way, which seems to be the overall tone. This is certainly the case with ‘Keep My Heart’ which is alike in terms of being relaxed. The pause of instruments at the start just as the vocals come in introduces this one in a particularly emphasised way, another great way to begin and get your attention on a song. Every song has unique aspects that grab you, which is one of the ways this album manages to sound so good consistently.
The order of the tracks feels like a roller coaster that keeps you on your toes ricocheting between fast and slow, lively and sadder. ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ and ‘Love is on the Way’ both stick with the slower, sadder tone. ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ has a guitar opening, whilst ‘Love is on the Way’ begins instantly, but beyond the starting notes they share the fact that they both capture emotion well, the authentic vocals displaying this perfectly. ‘Love is on the Way’ also has an intricate guitar that appears later into the track which gives it more flavour and really helps it stand out, once again proving how there’s always many parts that engage you on every song.
We are counted into the penultimate song, ‘Sorry’, a classic start which in this case adds to the acoustic feel that is made by how it’s quite muted instrumentally. We get a chance to explore vocal range here too, the higher vocals proving to be just as stunning as everything else and portraying evidently raw talent.
And then we end on a complete high with ‘Million Miles An Hour’. Where most albums slow things down, Bernie Barlow chooses to pick up the pace, delivering a punchy, more rocky close. The fun end to what was getting a lot off your chest and being open with your emotions, now showing a more free side and owning it. A spectacular finish.
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