Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Barni Band
Label: Self-released
Release: 2012
Length: 45:32
Rating: 3.5/5
Barni Band, the band of vocalist Aleš Boroš, based in Rogaška Slatina, a stone’s throw from the home turf of their far more famous neighbors Mi2 from Rogatec, has finally pulled together its fresh, third overall studio document after almost ten years. Some of you may remember the band from the hit Naša pesem from 1999, which appeared on the debut »Jutro pojutrišnjem«. That was followed by the album »Drugi krog« (2003), and then, as mentioned, a long nine-year break.
The new album »Veseloigra« is Aleš Boroš’s own work from head to toe, while the Barni Band crew that helped shape the album has been refreshed. Keeping Boroš company in the lineup today are guitarist Boštjan Imenšek, who also plays live with Mi2, Boštjan Selič (bass) and Sandi Kampuš (drums).
»Veseloigra« picks up the story from the album »Drugi krog«. The links between the two are certainly logical, and the connective tissue is Aleš Boroš’s vocal approach and, of course, the way he writes music and lyrics. But times have changed, and with a whopping nine years between the two albums, »Veseloigra« is naturally a noticeably upgraded record when it comes to sound and production. Barni Band have matured production-wise. The album boasts an excellent balance between the instruments, shrewd keyboard placement, female backing vocals, even a trumpet, which gives the songs pinpoint accents. Decorative touches of keys and guitar are layered on top. The album has a real sense of liveliness and just the right amount of dynamic pulse; the sound is organic and warm, its building blocks are clearly contrasted, and that’s why the album sounds so full.
Musically, Barni Band have stayed where the first two albums left off. You can feel a good dose of ease in how the new record was made. The band was in no hurry, worked without pressure, and so there was enough time to build an album with elemental expressive variety between the songs’ lead motifs. They follow the classic songwriting template: verse-chorus twice over, an optional pre-chorus, an instrumental middle section and a repeat of the chorus. The backbone of the accompaniment is a stripped-down guitar sound, emphatically rock-forward, and in »Ni potrebno da me ljubiš« tinted retro-nostalgic (the phrase in the verse and the rhythm underneath lean slightly toward Rolling Stones moves). The lyrics don’t hide a whiff of machismo, which is nothing new for Aleš Boroš, but with far less of the confessional naivety, which is now replaced by much more mature solutions in how the verses are built. The nine-year gap was very welcome also because the ideas in the songs are optimally honed. The basic form of arrangement that »Veseloigra« carries could be put to use without any trouble by Mi2 in their own songwriting story.
And there’s one more element we mustn’t forget, which noticeably shapes how the songs come across. Aleš Boroš’s voice. A lower-pitched, muted, throaty drawl. Same as on the debut or on »Drugi krog«. Only on the third album it works far more effectively. It’s woven into the form of the songs much more nicely and so comes across much more convincingly than it once did. Still, the quirks of his vocal delivery are a sieve that filters the fan base of listeners. Vocally, Boroš can’t be Chris Rea, still less Mark Knopfler, but he can be Zoran Benčič from Velenje’s Res Nullius, if you still haven’t got the picture.
So. »Veseloigra« is a straightforward, classic-sounding rock album that doesn’t need an Einstein to unpack it. It »hits« on the first listen and successfully brings Barni Band back among the living. It fits any moment of the day. Relaxed, with no pretentious slip-ups, it sounds down-to-earth and grounded. It’s an earworm of a retro-nostalgic brochure of authentic Slovenian-sounding rock sentiment, with the occasional dash of blues cosmetics (the dreamy »waltz« Fender moj razštelani), which could (potentially) easily win over the radio waves too.
Lineup
Aleš Boroš “Barni” – vocals
Boštjan Imenšek – guitar, backing vocals
Boštjan Selič – bass guitar, backing vocals
Sandi Kampuš – drums, backing vocals
GUEST MUSICIANS;
Peter Baroš – keyboards
Damjan Mašera – trumpet
Blaž Črnivec – rhythm guitar (track no. 9)
Špela kregar – backing vocals
Barbara Rehar – backing vocals
Sara Širok – backing vocals
Mojca Žerak – backing vocals
Production
Drago Popovič & Barni Band
Tracklist
1. Strašno dober dan
2. Ni potrebno, da me ljubiš
3. Lahko noč, frendica
4. Na Boč pada noč
5. Fender moj razštelani
6. Cuba libre
7. Rohitsch Sauerbrunn
8. Stara šola rokenrola
9. Veseloigra
10. Malo sonce
11. Zahvala
