Since they formed back in 2015, James Barker Band (made up of James Barker, Connor Stephen, Taylor Abrams and Bobby Martin) have become one of the biggest acts in Canadian country music. They’ve scored four number ones in their home country and been recognised by the Canadian Country Music Association – recently winning the 2023 Group of the Year and Fans’ Choice Awards. Now they’re making their major label debut with new EP, ‘Ahead Of Our Time’, the follow-up to 2020 project ‘JBB-Sides’.
The six-track set opens with ‘Step On His Boots’, a tale of meeting a girl at a bar who’s been stood up by her current paramour. The punchy drums and guitar riffs give the song a rocky quality and I liked the level of confidence and swagger in James’s delivery of the lyrics. It’s a playful, cheeky number that stays just the right side of tongue-in-cheek and the twist in the bridge puts a fun spin on the narrative, plus the acoustic finish leads nicely into the rest of the EP whilst still acting as a great introduction.
One thing which stands out to me throughout the collection is the sheer variety of sounds the band uses. Anthemic lead single ‘Meet Your Mama’ highlights the drawl in James’s voice whilst being full of warmth in its gentle, acoustic intro before the stomping drums kick on the chorus, as well as being packed with details like the pictures on the fridge at a partner’s family farmhouse. Elsewhere, ‘Champagne’ is a rollicking, swaggering kiss-off to an ex lifted straight from a rowdy bar, with references to CJ7s and ‘Friday ball room boots’ and knowing humour alongside bluesy guitar riffs, whilst ‘On The Water’ lives up to its title with an upbeat, laid-back melody, smooth vocals from James – as well as some impressive vocal runs! – great harmonies with featured artist Dalton Dover and a funky groove that’s practically begging for a day at the beach with a beer in hand.
For me one of the standout songs on the project is the title track. It’s a bittersweet, introspective number looking back on a young romance that didn’t work out, with a stripped-back feel that allow the vocals and storyline to take centre stage. Barker’s voice takes on the air of a young Luke Bryan in places, allowing him to show off his vocal power by hitting some big notes towards the end, but also a level of restraint and wistfulness that emphasises the emotion in his delivery. When I spoke to the band recently, they mentioned that this song has been really connecting with live audiences, and it’s not hard to see why – that big soaring chorus feels like it was made for a crowd to belt out and sway along.
The EP closes with ‘Heartbeat’, one of the most traditional-sounding tracks in the set. I loved the twangy acoustic guitar line and the bright, driving melody which instantly brings a smile to your face, as well as the rapid-fire chorus which seems designed to get an audience up and dancing along. It’s an utterly joyful moment to finish the project on and leaves me excited to hear what’s coming next from the quartet.
Overall, with ‘Ahead Of Our Time’ James Barker Band have produced a great EP that shows the diversity and range of their sound and exudes positive energy throughout, as well as highlighting their musicianship and James’s skills as a songwriter and vocalist. It’s a really strong introduction to them for new listeners, as well as having plenty to like for existing fans, and feels like it will slot effortlessly into live shows as well. They did mention that they’re hoping to head back to this side of the pond next year as well as having more new music on the way, so if this is the taster, then bring on the main course!
Track listing: 1. Step On His Boots 2. Ahead Of Our Time 3. Champagne 4. Meet Your Mama 5. On The Water (featuring Dalton Dover) 6. Heartbeat Record label: RECORDS Nashville Release date: 20th October 2023
