Bruce Springsteen has always presented himself as the voice of the ordinary blue-collar man despite the fact that he has been a multi-millionaire for nearly three decades. Forget the Boss. Scotland Barr (http://www.scotlandbarr.com) from Portland, Oregon sings with a working-class voice, his lyrics direct and speaking from experience.
At times recalling Bob Dylan with his nasal whine, Barr sings of heartache and living on minimum wage while his group, the Drags, play untainted heartland American rock that dips heavily into classic country territory. The lovelorn title track takes a gulp from a lonely man's abandoned bottle of beer. It's nothing you haven't heard before, but Barr's sandpaper voice gives it the proper rough edges.
"Bruised Tattoo" features some fine piano playing, something which you don't often hear in roots rock. The laborer's lament, "How the hell am I going to retire on this?", is both poignant and funny, delivered with real feeling. Barr is singing about his life, trying to make it in the world, overcoming the pain of women cheating on him and not earning enough cash to save a life.
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On "Sun Years," Barr and his Drags abruptly switch gears, paying homage to the Beatles with startling accuracy. But for the most most part, they stick to what they do best, such as the locomotive rhythms on "Saving Grace," which is what the Wallflowers would've sounded like if they chew on tobacco and not bubblegum.
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