[divider] [/divider]
Artist – Barry Briercliffe
Album – One Step Forward
Released – 19th June 2020
Reviewer – Stuart Todd, Liverpool Acoustic
[divider] [/divider]
This year has seen the welcome return of Liverpool singer-songwriter and performer Barry Briercliffe. Work and family commitments have kept the artist occupied but music has always been the main focus of his activities, with regular residency gigs on Mathew Street and the Merseyside region.
Barry has been productive on the recording front over the past year and despite lockdown, has finally released his new album ‘One Step Forward’, the long-awaited follow up to ‘Life On Repeat’ from 2013. The album features Ste Zdrenka on bass and Adriano Arena on lead guitar.
The lead-off single ‘Lie Back And Think Of England’ gets things off to a flying start with a sound that crosses Fleetwood Mac with Travis. This is followed by second single ‘Peculiar’, which was available as a limited edition 7” vinyl.
Another highlight ‘Love Will Find A Way’ comes with an imaginative story video featuring the actor Michael Starke.
The title track ‘One Step Forward’, uses the sound of guitar and keyboards to best effect and acts as the commercial high point. Barry explores a more dance-oriented direction on ‘The Love Of Your Life Is Over’, whilst ‘When The Soul Leaves’ closes the set on a low-key atmospheric note.
All the commercial bases are covered here, with a clean crisp production that helps to elevate the material. The contemporary sound of the album doesn’t distract from what’s on offer, which is first rate. The title track alone is worth the price of admission. Overall, this a strong and solid ten track collection.
Stuart Todd
Review © 2020 Stuart Todd, Liverpool Acoustic
One Step Forward was released on 14th June and is available on all major digital platforms, including download and streaming from Bandcamp.
[divider] [/divider]
Barry Briercliffe
[divider] [/divider]