Parker Barrow – Hold The Mash
Parker Barrow, the Nashville based, southern-hued rock 'n' roll band fronted by the powerfully voiced Megan Kane, driven at the back by Kane’s drumming husband Dylan Turner and augmented by guitarist (and musical director) Alex Bender, have made significant strides in a relatively short time.
2023’s debut album Jukebox Gypsies made for a solid, southern stamped start, bolstered further by the success of the album’s ballad and single 'Back To Birmingham' (1.2m views on YouTube).
High-energy, rock and roll solid performances both sides of the pond, including a UK tour as special guests to Canadian psychedelic retro rollers The Damn Truth in November of last year helped raise their stock further, as did the accompanying Hold The Mash EP.
Now, following that 5-track starter comes the main course in the shape of their second full-length release Hold The Mash, which includes all the songs from the EP, three new all originals and a Black Crowes cover.
More rounded than Jukebox Gypsies and defining the sound of a now well-honed band (who also feature keys player Eric Safka, guitarist Will Tipton and bassist Kyle Priber), Hold The Mash also manages to capture the live energy of the band, for which producer & mixer Stephen McKnight deserves some serious credit.
Opening track 'The Healer' is a pseudo funky, soul-swaggering number that adds another texture to the Parker Barrow sound, here with the added bonus of some tasty slide work and a couple of groovy little organ solos from Eric Safka. A great start.
The mid-tempo, Stonesy strut of 'Blinded' is another winner, with Megan Kane giving it some serious vocal sass (her layered backing vocals on the chorus are also a nice touch, as are the little piano interjections).
The band then step up it a gear for the hard-hitting 'Nothin’ Left To Save' which, following its short and subtle intro, kicks in to an unsubtle riff 'n' rumble with a huge hook chorus that underlines and reinforces Parker Barrow’s swaggering, rock and roll spirit.
Another with strong vocals and clearly considered vocal arrangements (you get the feeling Stephen McKnight also worked on bringing out the best in Megan Kane), the song’s classic rock vibe (there’s an influence of the likes of Zeppelin and Aerosmith in the PB sound) help make this yet another winner.
2023’s debut album Jukebox Gypsies made for a solid, southern stamped start, bolstered further by the success of the album’s ballad and single 'Back To Birmingham' (1.2m views on YouTube).
High-energy, rock and roll solid performances both sides of the pond, including a UK tour as special guests to Canadian psychedelic retro rollers The Damn Truth in November of last year helped raise their stock further, as did the accompanying Hold The Mash EP.
Now, following that 5-track starter comes the main course in the shape of their second full-length release Hold The Mash, which includes all the songs from the EP, three new all originals and a Black Crowes cover.
More rounded than Jukebox Gypsies and defining the sound of a now well-honed band (who also feature keys player Eric Safka, guitarist Will Tipton and bassist Kyle Priber), Hold The Mash also manages to capture the live energy of the band, for which producer & mixer Stephen McKnight deserves some serious credit.
Opening track 'The Healer' is a pseudo funky, soul-swaggering number that adds another texture to the Parker Barrow sound, here with the added bonus of some tasty slide work and a couple of groovy little organ solos from Eric Safka. A great start.
The mid-tempo, Stonesy strut of 'Blinded' is another winner, with Megan Kane giving it some serious vocal sass (her layered backing vocals on the chorus are also a nice touch, as are the little piano interjections).
The band then step up it a gear for the hard-hitting 'Nothin’ Left To Save' which, following its short and subtle intro, kicks in to an unsubtle riff 'n' rumble with a huge hook chorus that underlines and reinforces Parker Barrow’s swaggering, rock and roll spirit.
Another with strong vocals and clearly considered vocal arrangements (you get the feeling Stephen McKnight also worked on bringing out the best in Megan Kane), the song’s classic rock vibe (there’s an influence of the likes of Zeppelin and Aerosmith in the PB sound) help make this yet another winner.
There’s more swagger (and classic rock influences) on the brooding and pulsating heavy soul-rock of 'Novocaine,' which carries a decidedly 70s vibe.
"Cause my whistle won’t blow, my rooster won’t crow, I’ve been locked by your chains!" cries Megan Kane, with a vocal holler and conviction Janis Joplin would have been vocally proud of.
Lighter contrast then comes calling via love song 'Olivia Lane,' which slowly but assuredly builds from its acoustic opening and Megan Kane’s soul-crying vocal ("I need your love like the air that I breath") to a full band finish that’s kept relatively understated, allowing the lyric and vocal to carry the song to its conclusion.
Raunchy rock and roller 'Make It' is a big-beat number that sports thick and rugged guitars, a wicked little solo, serious rhythmic punch and a lyric that gets straight to the point ("Can't you read my body language, do you just wanna hear me say it? If love's all we need, you and me, why don't we just make it?").
An acetylene vocal approach and layered backing chorus vocals a la 'Blinded' make for yet another huge sounding, southern rock and roll statement.
'Glass Eyes Cryin’' opens like it might slip into the classic Joe Cocker version of 'With a Little Help From My Friends,' but soon reshapes itself into a weighty, southern bluesy mid-tempo with complementary guitar solo.
"I’m walking out your door, can’t change my mind, oh my I’m so tired of your glass eyes cryin'!" sings Megan Kane with impassioned purpose.
The folksy, Southern Americana blues of 'Ruby’s Reckoning' provides a nice change of pace before the album closes out on a cover of The Black Crowes ‘My Morning Song.’
The latter doesn’t stray far too from the original, although Parker Barrow manage to allow the song to flow (particularly on the reflective mid-section/ finale) for close to eight-and-a-half minutes (the 'Crowes own version is a couple of minutes shorter), yet at no point does it outstay its welcome.
It's also interesting to note that part of the song’s lyric looks to personal awakening, because with a fair wind (blowing from the south, naturally) Hold The Mash might turn out be just that for Parker Barrow, certainly in the greater scheme of musical things.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Read FabricationsHQ’s review of Parker Barrow’s recent Glasgow show in support Hold The Mash here.
"Cause my whistle won’t blow, my rooster won’t crow, I’ve been locked by your chains!" cries Megan Kane, with a vocal holler and conviction Janis Joplin would have been vocally proud of.
Lighter contrast then comes calling via love song 'Olivia Lane,' which slowly but assuredly builds from its acoustic opening and Megan Kane’s soul-crying vocal ("I need your love like the air that I breath") to a full band finish that’s kept relatively understated, allowing the lyric and vocal to carry the song to its conclusion.
Raunchy rock and roller 'Make It' is a big-beat number that sports thick and rugged guitars, a wicked little solo, serious rhythmic punch and a lyric that gets straight to the point ("Can't you read my body language, do you just wanna hear me say it? If love's all we need, you and me, why don't we just make it?").
An acetylene vocal approach and layered backing chorus vocals a la 'Blinded' make for yet another huge sounding, southern rock and roll statement.
'Glass Eyes Cryin’' opens like it might slip into the classic Joe Cocker version of 'With a Little Help From My Friends,' but soon reshapes itself into a weighty, southern bluesy mid-tempo with complementary guitar solo.
"I’m walking out your door, can’t change my mind, oh my I’m so tired of your glass eyes cryin'!" sings Megan Kane with impassioned purpose.
The folksy, Southern Americana blues of 'Ruby’s Reckoning' provides a nice change of pace before the album closes out on a cover of The Black Crowes ‘My Morning Song.’
The latter doesn’t stray far too from the original, although Parker Barrow manage to allow the song to flow (particularly on the reflective mid-section/ finale) for close to eight-and-a-half minutes (the 'Crowes own version is a couple of minutes shorter), yet at no point does it outstay its welcome.
It's also interesting to note that part of the song’s lyric looks to personal awakening, because with a fair wind (blowing from the south, naturally) Hold The Mash might turn out be just that for Parker Barrow, certainly in the greater scheme of musical things.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Read FabricationsHQ’s review of Parker Barrow’s recent Glasgow show in support Hold The Mash here.