I must say, these Barnacles are doing exceptionally well in this MidWest droughthole, distant from their maritime biosphere. They are no ordinary sea-faring creatures, mind you! ‘Inland & Otherwise‘, the most recent addition to their discography, brings in the substantial high tide, subduing the low tide of the musical craftsmanship that occupies the mainstream of today. 
  For all of you Bubble-gum pop enthusiasts out there, there is hope for you yet. This album contains a delicate orchestration of tunes, with a large enough potpourri of Alternative Rock, Alternative Country, Folk and Pop rhythms to go around for any type of listener.
  With three songwriters working together to form a plethora of rich lyrics and harmonising vocals, their sophomore album is, without doubt, highly worthy of such praise.. ‘Want It to Be’ is a resonant tune that is presented with more simplicity in the technical work done. This creates a pleasurable balance with others as ‘Arizona Tonight,’ a song with intrinsic buoyancy and individuality in sound and feel. ‘Riviera’ and ‘Eden Avenue’ complete INLAND with fearlessly dynamic vocalisation and instrumentation by all four members who possess performance of such a high-calibre.  I can only imagine what we have to look forward to in the coming of a third release from the Barnacles!
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The Barnacles are a talented trio who are joined by two guest drummers. All three musicians write and sing. Their sound incorporates solos, two and three part harmonies set to compelling rhythms. The harmonies are a strong part of their unique energetic sound. Their style is a blend of rock, pop, alternative county, folk and retro. This eleven-track collection is self-produced and includes diverse arrangements. Their music is a cornucopia of imaginative sounds, crisp clear vocals and creative lyrics. 'Third Degree Burn' juxtaposes upbeat pop vocals with dark visual lyrics. It melds genres as the song opens with feisty instrumentation that has a country retro sound followed by a rock steady beat, solid guitars and dynamic vocal blends. 'Arizona Tonight' is a songscape of bright fluid harmonies and graceful guitars 'Constellation' includes stellar instrumentation including some nice guitar work. The song has an almost mystical feel with deep reflective vocals, beguiling beats and compelling lyrics. The Barnacles have created a flavorful blend of music that will stick with you!
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The Barnacles are very easy on the ears, but never too easy. To define this album with a genre seems- to me- a misleading notion. Pop? NO! Alt country? A little. Folk? Hmm. Rock? Well, yea, but... a retro-Americana-pop-rock... sorta.
Inland & Otherwise, with its solid base of homegrown singer-songwriters, successfully samples all of the aforementioned influences. Never short on emotional content, the album draws on upbeat, retro pop-rock crowd pleasers (Third Degree Burn and She’s Fine) and juxtaposes them nicely with soft, rolling tunes (Riviera, True and Constellation). Enter the long forgotten waltz with bittersweet Tide Beckons Me and the hypnotic Blue Sky. Inland and Otherwise broods, swoons, reflects and relaxes- not necessarily in that order. The album is musically interesting enough for casual listening, yet strong enough lyrically to pay attention to. Very impressive.
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