MICAH BARNES — New York Stories (review)

MICAH BARNES — New York Stories album cover Album · 2015 · Pop/Art Song/Folk Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
Micah Barnes has been working his way up through the ranks in the world of male jazz singers for a while now, and his recent “New York Stories” is the album that should seal his place near the top. This is an ambitious album on which all the tunes are originals penned by Barnes. These songs were inspired by Barnes’ recent residence in New York City, and his subsequent romance with an un-named ‘partner’, who was working on Broadway. It takes some nerve to say you can write original lyrics and music about NYC, you certainly don’t want to come across as naïve or vainly opportunistic, but Micah comes through on here with some exciting catchy songs that do manage to capture the energy and vibe of ‘New Yawk’, as he likes to pronounce it.

Right off you will notice Barnes’ connection to old school swingin cats like Sinatra and Mel Torme, but he also invokes more recent stylists such as Harry Connick Jr and Kurt Elling. The piano trio setting of the tunes also recalls classic Nat King Cole. Barnes’ songwriting reflects his interest in the classic pop jazz of Cole Porter and the Brill Building composers, but he also shows influence from contemporary writers who also draw from that same Brill era, artists such as Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Donald Fagen. The musical styles on here range from old school swing to pop RnB along the lines of Boz Scaggs and Steely Dan. There is also a dramatic cabaret number that has Micah sounding like a young David Bowie, plus an Elvis Presley styled ‘tender’ ballad. Despite the diversity, it all flows together.

The mark of a good pop album is songs that get in your head and won’t leave you alone, and that’s what a lot of these songs will do, particularly the dry sassy wit of “After the Romance the Rent” and “I’m Going Back to My Used to Be”. It seems Micah is shooting for some possible future standards here, and those two aforementioned tunes stand a good chance of becoming just that. Barnes is an excellent singer with wide range, elastic vocal chords and dead on pitch, this album is highly recommended for fans of great jazz vocals, as well as fans of original song writing.
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