Exploring the Music of Singer-Songwriter, Folkie – Barna Howard and his album – Quite a Feelin’
I discovered the music of Barna Howard on the June 2015 Euro-Americana Chart , where his album Quite a Feeling held down the number eight spot. One night when I was going to work at Target I listened to the album for the first time. After listening to the first song “Indiana Rose”, I knew that Mr. Howard and I were going to get along just fine! Barna’s has a sound that harkens back to the folksingers of the 60s. He has a distinctive voice and his accompanying guitar playing is pretty nice also! So the question in my mind was – Who is this Barna Howard!
Well, it seems he was born and raised in the quintessential Midwest town of Eureka, Missouri. He grew up in the era that inspired Spielberg, when he was creating E.T. It was an era much like the one I grew up in, when kids still put baseball cards in his bicycle spokes, flying freely down Main Street and through neighbors’ backyards.But through th years times have changed, as has Eureka, and talk about putting an end to your childhood, Barna’s home was torn down to build a Walmart parking lot! Oh my!
Since those days Howard moved to Chicago to study animation and then trekked east to find love before settling in the Pacific northwest. This period of his life is examined in his critically acclaimed and thanks to placement of a song in the hit indie film, “Drinking Buddies”.underground successful self-titled debut album. A critic has likened him to some “lost genius of the 60’s.” (Hum, seems about the same thing that I thought. The cover art on his debut album reminds me of one of those 60s artists – David Ackles)
After listening to the fist few songs on Quite a Feelin’ I had heard songs about fragile relationships,broken dreams. spousal abuse and how quickly your life passes by!! Once again oh, my!! From Barna’s website…..
The songs on Barna Howard’s second album, Quite A Feelin’, ruminate on his relationship with home. Now entrenched in Portland, Oregon, many of the album’s tracks immortalize and reflect on the Eureka he once knew, while others focus on the relationships that define his new home out west. Small town life has long been celebrated in country and folk music, but Barna’s knack for capturing his own deeply personal nostalgia resonates in a rarely universal way.
Bottom Line: Quite a Feelin’ and the music of Barna Howard is the real deal! Finely crafted songs, sung well, with the sparse accompaniment of a quiet guitar! The way folk music is meant to be played! Yes, Barna’s music and genius may harken back to the 60s and for me that’s a very good thing! So Check him out!! Rating ****
Links for Further Exploration of the Music of Barna Howard
Barna Howard’s Website
Mama Bird Recording Company: Barna Howard
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Heres’ Barna performing his song “Turns Around the Bottle” from Barna Howard
