Skip to main content

Maverick Ad

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Cover Stories
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Legacy Awards
  • Past Covers
  • Weekly Archive
Morgan x Barrie Explores Human Connection & the Search for Our Place in the World with New Album, Lines

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • Morgan x Barrie Explores Human Connection & the Search for Our Place in the World with New Album, Lines
Morgan x Barrie Explores Human Connection & the Search for Our Place in the World with New Album, Lines
Fri Jun 03, 2022
Cashbox Canada

The world has just been through two years of overwhelming uncertainty and isolation with many lives lost, connections broken, and dreams put on hold. Owen Sound singer-songwriter Morgan x Barrie took the world’s suffering, buckled down in depths of the pandemic and made it into something resonant, open hearted, and beautiful for us all with his new album, Lines, and the single “Germany” – check it out on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/4Y7U7RsVivtRrM4DWqjpRM?si=439e4e3495b7471b&nd=1

That said, Lines, Barrie’s third full album, isn’t a lament over our recent past… Instead, it’s a raw and honest look at the challenges all generations collectively face in the 21st century; a deeply thoughtful exploration of human hot topics like love, waste, and loss approached in equally passionate terms.

“I wanted to write an album I would want to listen to,” says Barrie, matter of factly.

But Barrie didn’t just ‘write’ this album; Lines is truly a creation all his own volition as he is the songwriter, composer, producer, and engineer — seeing the project through from his imagination to your ears. He writes, composes, records, and mixes all the music in his living room in Owen Sound, Ontario, immersing himself in the pursuit of the right sound reminiscent of Brian Wilson’s legendary musical isolation periods. The result is sonically rich, personal yet relatable, and wholly hard to believe it originated from the artist’s living room and not multiple recording studios.

In the making of this album, one important thing Barrie wanted to listen to be the voices of his past.

“The album started with the song ‘Germany’ — a tribute to my connection with my grandfather and his experience storming Juno Beach on D-Day,” explains Morgan. “I wrote the song after returning from touring Germany, which gave me the opportunity to reflect on how different my experience was in Europe then his would have been.”

I’m connected to you through our history
The blood the battles the brutality
I know it wasn’t you and I know it wasn’t me
It started out in Germany

Making that connection tangible and somewhat haunting, Morgan’s grandfather’s voice became part of the recording.

“Luckily, I was able to find original audio clips that capture him sharing some of his experience at Juno Beach,” he recalls. “When I hear his voice on the song, all the memories come rushing back.”

Unearthing that treasure of his grandfather’s recordings talking about his WWII days brought his experiences so much closer to home for Morgan in writing “Germany.”

“I was fortunate enough that he was able to share some of his darker, more intimate experiences of the war. Through the tears and the pain, it solidified a bond between us that is unique and part of what makes me who I am today.”

And every breath I take and every step I take it brings me back to you
When the earth shakes my heart begins to take I pull away from you

Just like the many ways we humans are connected, the nine tracks on Lines are tied together by transitional audio passages of streetscapes, natural environments, crowded rooms, snippets of conversation, and instrumental flourishes — from subdued to bombastic — that create a seamless experience as the listener follows, willing and intrigued.

Lines is an ambitious concept album that whisks you on an epic, heartfelt journey through the human struggle to make sense of our place in the world around us. Barrie’s rough and tumble, worldly-wise voice is the narrator through contemplative acoustic moments like “Adrift” to full-on roots rockers such as “Strange Days.” In a world of single song servings, Lines is meant to be a full course experience.

Barrie wasn’t totally alone on this sonic voyage. An array of notable Canadian musicians made talented contributions to Lines, including Lisa Lobsinger, Kyle Crane, Mark Mariash, Aaron Goldstein, Tyler Beckett, Matt Epp, and Christina Martin.

Prior to Lines, Barrie released his debut solo LP, North, in 2017 and piqued enough interest to perform several sold-out shows and strengthen his growing music community. Following that, Barrie released Fall in 2018.

Songs from Fall garnered Top 10 placings with CFRC Kingston and airplay on CBC North, as well as praise from international music critics; this success helped Barrie secure an opening slot for Matt Epp on his 2018 European tour. Barrie followed that up with a fully booked three-week tour through Germany and Switzerland in 2020 that was unfortunately postponed as the global pandemic took hold.

Barrie officially released Lines at one of the premier live listening rooms in the Georgian Bay area, the Heartwood Music Hall, and more shows will be on the way in support of this new release.

For more on Morgan x Barrie visit:
instagram.com/morganxbarriemusic/
facebook.com/morganxbarrie
open.spotify.com/artist/2LGFL0pNFOGldo4zQlOziM

Reviews
Album
Morgan x Barrie
Month: Aug 2021
Matt Morson Matt Morson Releases “Tailgate Patio,” A Simple-Pleasures Summer Jam All About…
Rise Carmine Alt-Psych Rocker Rise Carmine Wants to “Be The Only One” in New Single
Astrid Tanton Take Oath & Bear Witness: “Jury” is in Session for Canadian Artist Astrid…
Daniel Monte Orchestral Pop-Rockers Daniel Monte Release Moving Music Video for Single, “…
Month: Sep 2021
Downtown Exit Downtown Exit Releases Soundtrack for Band Member Glenn Dixon’s “Bootleg…
Theo Ogundine London, UK-Based Soul Artist + Netflix's "Top Boy" Actor THEO…
Solstice Jig ViVA Trio Rhythmic & Celebratory, Award-Winning ViVA Trio Release First-Ever Folk-…
Mena Hardy Canadian singer/songwriter Mena Hardy Releases Compelling Single “Man I Love”
Lara Taubman Singer/Songwriter Lara Taubman Releases Groovy, Funk-Inspired Single in “Hookup…
Lento y Pegadito MellyQueen & Skyzz Toronto-Based Latin-Pop Artists MellyQueen & Skyzz Set the Night Ablaze…
The High Loves Alt Rockers The High Loves Put a Breakup Behind Them With New Single, “Sometime”
Brandon Glazer Brandon Glazer Releases Title Track of New Album – Because of You
June Garber June Garber Releases New Video of Classic “Windmills Of Your Mind”
Ozzie Lovin Ozzie Lovin Gets “Lost In You” in New Single
Marty Zylstra Singer/Songwriter Marty Zylstra Lights Up the Sky with Blistering New Single &…

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 45
  • Page 46
  • Page 47
  • Page 48
  • Current page 49
  • Page 50
  • Page 51
  • Page 52
  • Page 53
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

CEO/PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF
SANDY GRAHAM

email:sandygrahamemg@gmail.com 

Canadian Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Don Graham
email: dongrahamwriter@gmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Lisa Hartt
email: lisahartt87@hotmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada 
Michael Williams
email: greydread@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

International Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Malin Osth
email: malin@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Jonas Tancred
email: jonas@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - USA
Rob Durkee 
email: rockster2746@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Developer/Technical Support
Chris Wardman

email: info@chriswardman.com
website: chriswardman.com

Cashbox Cover Design and Graphic Artist
Jain McMillan

email: jainmcmillan@gmail.com

Contributing Photographer 
Tracey Savein - South Paw Productions
southpawproductions@rogers.com

 

 

 

Footer menu

  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Archive
  • Issue Archive
  • Past Covers