Barley Station is one of those rare multi-fronted bands with versatile songwriters/vocalists whose music combines the roots of Americana, Pop/Rock, Country, and Folk and puts them in a blender with a dash of amaretto pouring out a tasty glass of contagious sound. The result is a distinctly alternative blend that draws deeply from its roots yet looks forward and to the future. The music features two, three, and occasionally four-part harmonies, driving rhythms, and contagious melodies. The songwriting covers the whole gamut of emotions moving from upbeat bright material to darker or introspective moods.
Real instruments - real voices - real harmonies - all organic
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The album, After All, is being well received in the press and contains the critcally
favored single "I Found You," which Eric De Fontenay of the Music Dish Journal
described as "Rootsy alternative country at its best: catchy guitar riffs,
driving rhythms, and a contagious harmony with simple but cool, happy go lucky
lyrics [that] make this a likeable and great track that’s easy on the ears and
warming to the heart."
Marsbands.com describes the album like this:
"Barley Station has an addictive '"twang"' about their music that, honestly,
I never knew I liked. In fact, I had to make a new category in the Genre
section for Country just for them. It’s a big day for everyone, I guess.
First Aid Kit has a similar Country vibe to their songs, though, Barley Station
kicks it up a notch or two...If you’re in the mood for strong, passionate music
look no further than Barley Station. Even if Country isn’t your favorite genre,
I’m going to bet you’ll like Barley Station."
I Am Entertainment Magazine proclaims "Barley Station's eclectic brand of
rock, country and folk music will give fans of those genres something to talk
about. Unlike many bands, Barley Station isn't just creating music and
calling it alternative, they've really mixed things up on AFTER
ALL, making it a truly alternative rock album." (not to mention folk and
country)
Reverb Nation artist David Namerow exclaims: "Barley Station cuts cleanly and
crisply through the genre clutter with grooves that slice directly to the
heart with honest power. Finally, music with teeth, heart and soul!”
More About the Band:
Barley Station's front line is a duo of two singers/songwriters, Randy Wayne
Belt, and Brian Kious. Behind it on the beat is Nil De Silva and on occasion
the three are backed by background & harmony vocalist/songwriting partner,
Casey Wollberg. Their music reflects the influences and roots of the writers
who are products of the crossroads of music in the midwest, St. Louis, MO.
“Many hardcore genre purists even like what we’re doing, though some don’t,
but its who we are, and we can’t change that. It’s just how we write and how
we’ve been influenced”, explains Randy. He adds, “I was once told by a hard
core country fan that mixing pop into country (or folk) in one of my songs is
like spitting in beer! Though he seemed to come across as rather offended by
our genre bending, the person proceeded to say he couldn’t help but like that
particular song.”
Randy, Brian, and Casey worked together in the midwest based group, The
Barnacles, honing their songwriting, stage, and composing skills for years.
Barley Station is no stranger to radio and press. Under the banner of their
previous group, The Barnacles, they achieved the release of several CDs,
national and regional tours, performed well over 300 live shows, given radio
interviews, and had airplay on over 200 land radio stations, including
college, public, and some commercial radio. They received medium rotation on
TABC’s ‘Best of Rock’ show and enjoyed everything from light to heavy
rotations on other stations. Their genre blending sounds gave them a constant
#1 pick up rate (over 90% consistently) with their radio promotion firm.
Barley Station will be a group to watch as they take those previous successes
to new levels.
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