New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Green Light Go) "There are moments of amazing musicianship on this record. I think the songs hang together well, but here and there a solo or a riff or some harmonies really capture the ear. There are pockets of amazingness." - Abbie Barrett
Rooted out of New York City and on the path to a corporate career, Abbie Barrett chose to take another path. Jumping from town to town after college, Barrett pieced together a livelihood that consisted of multiple jobs, including small-town newspaper reporter, freelance editor, delivery driver, and many others.
Now settled in Somerville, MA, Barrett finally embraced her love for music. Living in a one-bedroom apartment that her friends refer to as "the dollhouse," Barrett's music reaches beyond the stereotype of what a "female" musician is, and through her wistful melodies, brings life to characters who rebel against their own destinies. With a wide ambit of influences she draws on—everything from
Pink Floyd and
Radiohead to
Aimee Mann and Neil Young—she signifies this readiness to cross genre lines in order to best serve the song at hand.
The members of her band, The Last Date, all come from musical backgrounds and include Alec Derian (bass), Josh Kiggans (drums), and Jack Hamilton (keys). Each helps cultivate her work of art into existence.
"Because of my writing background, thoughtful lyrics are important to me, but I'm not a fan of super cerebral, arty stuff. If people don't want to sing along to my songs, then I've done something wrong," Barrett said.
Barrett's well-crafted lyrics and the rich, vast sounds created by her band will be highlighted on their album, The Triples, which features beautifully absorbing vocal harmonies and rousing crescendos that pull the piece together as a whole. "Perfect Math", a commentary on the strangeness of online dating, pairs echoing harmonies with a quirky bass line, resulting in a song that recalls the pop psychedelia of the 1960s. "They're Gonna Shoot" plunges into a rhythmic rant that culminates in a gritty B3 organ solo and Barrett's intense, soaring vocal refrain. "Dreams We Bleed" puts its listeners into a dream-like state through its bewitching euphony and intricate melody, evoking a sense of introspective sensuality while looking back on life.
Listen here
AboutAbbie Barrett & The Last Date
Abbie Barrett & The Last Date have been featured regularly on WXRV The River's "
Homegrown" program, in American Songwriter ("Lyricist Spotlight") magazine, and on CMT's Cool Album Cuts. In 2008, the International Acoustic
Music Awards gave Barrett runner-up in the category of Best Female Artist. That same year, she released her debut album, Dying Day, which Performing Songwriter called "a stellar first release—and the launch of a sure-to-be long and healthy career." Her band recently made the top 10 in The Deli Magazine's "Best New England Emerging Artists" readers' poll. The group will be releasing it's latest album, The Triples, in September.
Praise for Abbie Barrett & The Last Date
"Barrett has the cautious heart of
Joni Mitchell and/or Nick
Drake and the thick-skinned creativity of Tori Amos." — The Deli - Meghan Chiampa
"Whether you want to jam out to "
Here To Stay" or sway and bask in the romance of "Draw Me In," Abbie Barrett & The Last Date provides it." — The Aquarian - Roz Smith
"On The Range is not the country tune you might expect but an epic, rock-styled, almost anthemic number...Draw Me In, a plodder with a haunting, swirling musical arrangement that develops into a heavy rock number with a drawn out electric guitar-driven wall of sound." —
Maverick - Adrian Cooke
