Recently while surfing pandora I stumbled upon a new favorite song, "Think Straight Again", composed by a ska band named The Barrymores. I embraced the bands alluring melodies after the first play.
What caught my attention?
Well the whole band rocks, hard. The main components of The Barrymores shape a full and energetic sound. They have a drummer, a bassist, a lead guitarist and two horn players (trumpet and trombone). Oh, I almost forgot to mention they contrast most ska bands by featuring a kickass lead female singer.
What compelled me to write about The Barrymores?
Though The Barrymores are a small town band, their technical abilities and prowess mimic more a band of a major record label. Their rocking upbeat style is similar to other ska bands. Each track creates a euphoric sensation and even the "sad" songs feel uplifting. When The Barrymores are on my stereo I typically end up chanting the lyrics while skanking around my office. I feel they bring the ska punk rock genre into another level of excellence.
And then I found the depressing news ...
I started researching The Barrymores because I was fascinated with their music. This research inevitably lead to some depressing news, The Barrymores are no longer together!
"I Am Jack's Broken Heart" -Fight Club.
Not often do I get excited about new music. In moments I grew attached to the group only to get crushed. I decided to investigate to uncover more.
Apparently The Barrymores went into hiatus after one of the founding members passed away. The Barrymore myspace page still seems active and continues to hosts a few of the bands tracks.
Sorry about the bummer, but you should still give the music a listen.