Pedal steel guitarist Barry Walker, Jr. has long spun out his unearthly twangs for rustic psychedelicists like Mouth Painter, North Americans and the Rose City Band. The lingering, shape-shifting overtones that float from his instrument imbue an instant mystery and ambiguity. He puts the “cosmic” in “cosmic country.” Now on this solo album—accompanied by drummer Rob Smith from Animal, Surrender! and Jason Willmon from Mouth Painter—he puts his ineffable sound at center stage, in songs that traverse drone, Americana and Reichian minimalism.
Category: Barry Walker Jr.
Barry Walker Jr. :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
The Barry Walker Unit’s At the 13th Moon Gravity Well is very much a band effort, with Rose City bandmates Ripley Johnson (guitar) and John Jeffrey (drums) and Mouth Painter bassist Jason Wilmon joining Walker for a loose-limbed, thoroughly exploratory collection of live recordings taped last year at a local pub. With four instrumental tracks clocking in at over 40 minutes, this is deep, transportive stuff, giving Walker and co. a chance to stretch out and get loose, regularly finding moments of collective ecstasy. There’s groove mixed with freedom, melody crashing into dissonance. A total thrill from start to finish. To get a little more background on this magnificent record, we chatted with Barry a few weeks back from his home in Portland.
Cosmic Pedal Steel Situations :: Winter 2020
Pioneers like Daniel Lanois and Chas Smith paved the way in the 1980s, but the past several years have seen a very welcome pedal steel ambient scene emerging from the underground. Here are just a handful that have caught our ears from artists like Susan Alcorn, Barry Walker Jr., North Americans, Heather Leigh, and more.
Barry Walker Jr :: Diaspora Urkontinent
Given the chance, the sound of any instrument can conjure up the sensation of drifting. But few tools seem as equipped for the job as the pedal steel guitar. On […]