It’s a real rock ‘n’ roll dream: one day, you’re in the midst of recording a self-financed album, the next you receive an email from the head of Mascot (one of the most well-respected labels out there) asking if you’re interested in joining their label. Yet, what would be fantasy for most is the back story to Kris Barras’ remarkable second album, ‘the divine and dirty’. A powerful and varied album spread over eleven tracks, ‘the divine and dirty’ is one of those records that you put on and then promptly lose track of time until it stops spinning some forty minutes later. It’s got grit, it’s got soul, it’s got epic guitar work and it’s got Kris’ voice, a surprisingly soulful instrument form the one-time fighter, that sits somewhere between Walter Trout and Joe Bonamassa. Recorded by Josiah J. Manning (who also contributed keys to the recording), the album really treads that line between raw authenticity and a subtle commercial gloss suited to a major label outing, and there’s no question that ‘the divine and dirty’ will stand high in the albums of the year lists come December.
You’re pretty much hooked the second Will Beavis’ drums announce the laid-back glory of ‘kick me down’, a wonderfully melodic track that pairs gritty, southern-style riffs with lilting slide guitar work all nailed to the floor by Will’s taut beat. When you throw in some seriously soulful backing vocals as well, you’ve got a song that I could listen to on repeat for hours and just let the world drift past. Happily, I’ve resisted the temptation to do that (well, too often), and second track ‘Hail Mary’ proves that the opening gambit is no fluke. Opening with a multi-part vocal harmony, ‘Hail Mary’ brings in the grit with a hot-wired riff that sets the barn alight, all the time anchored by Elliott Blackler’s smooth bass licks. It’s a hell of a one-two punch with which to open the album, and it’s easily apparent just why Mascot were so keen to get Kris on their roster. They say the best songs are rooted in personal experience, and the flinty blues of ‘I don’t owe nobody nothing’ (written about Kris’ abortive experience of running a guitar shop) is a dusty gem, all scratchy guitar and metronomic percussion. It’d be a highlight if only the rest of the album wasn’t so damn good, and before you know it you’re caught in the slinky groove of ‘propane’. A track that juxtaposes simmering tension with the smoothest of licks, it’s got a Robert Cray vibe that is utterly impossible to resist. However, even that with its gorgeous chorus pales in comparison to the jazz-infused boogie ‘Wrong place, wrong time’ which is the sound of summer captured and placed on record. It’s a more-or-less perfect piece of music that takes a Rolling Stones boogie and gives it a jazzy edge reminiscent of Chuck Leavell and it’s simply brilliant.
The wiry riff that kicks off ‘lovers or losers’ takes the sound of vintage blues and roughs it up with the punky spirit of Izzy Stradlin, Kris’ vocals taking on a touch of grit as his slide guitar strikes sparks against the rhythm section. ‘She’s more than enough’ has a breezy King King vibe with Kris walking a neat line between blazing guitar, pop melodies and some fantastic piano work (courtesy of Josiah) before ‘stitch me up’ takes the temperature up a notch with its ecstatic, Rolling Stones vibe and massed vocals on the chorus. Throw in a solo that seems to have fallen, blazing, from the very heavens and you have yet another song that could easily make the grade as a single, if the radio actually played music that was, you know, decent. The album slows considerably for the quiet, acoustic ‘hold on for tomorrow’, a track that has a gruff, Brian Adams feel to it and it’s easy to see why the Mascot Label were able to see such potential in Kris and his band, such is their ability to dip between styles with aplomb. With the end of the album looming, the band get the adrenalin going with the brilliant ‘blood on your hands’, a track that sees Kris unleash a solo that is pure Gilmour, sending prog fans into the throes of ecstasy. The album ends on an emotional note with ‘watching over me’, a song written for Kris’ late father and one that sees Kris once again dig deep to deliver the sort of searing lead work that finds its way deep into your soul, such is its elemental power. It’s the perfect conclusion to the album and a touching tribute to a man who shared his son’s passion for the blues.
‘The divine and dirty’ is not simply a good album. Everything from the exceptional musicianship to Josiah’s exquisite production is designed to be a treat for the ears, and it’s one of those records you’ll find yourself reaching for time and again. Blues, soul, pop, gospel, rock… it’s all worked into the tapestry that is the album, and there’s such joy in the playing that it can’t help but light up the room as you listen. If the blues is indeed about bringing joy from sadness, then Kris Barras has captured that feeling perfectly with ‘the divine and dirty’. 10
