Barefoot Jerry (1973) One Woman - LOST 70s GEMS

Barefoot's second self titled album was released on Warner Bros after the promising young Country Rockers were dropped by Capital after one album, this work is full adventurous Prog experimentation if a little overdone. Right so where do we begin? Castle Rock is an excellent opener with funky piano backing to a fuzz toned Southern rock guitar duet-ting and harmonising with a piping Moog going off in roundabout classical music runs; the ending bawling notes from the Moog during the song's coda is one of the album highlights. In God We Trust features the band's trademark deep barrelled drawling lead vocals, anonymous, laidback and detached often singin with mantra like apathy which fits the lyrics based on the treatment of Native Americans and worship of God and it's connection to violent acts to a backdrop of Jazzy slide guitar. The quiet mostlyAccapella and tubular bell bridge reminds me of Yes and Prog artists of the early 70s and definitely no American Country rock group. Message is a blues with an apolitical tone about the song having no meaning or ''message', just intended for 'boogie' and 'some other time' they will 'enlighten your mind'; the last bit sung in a dragged out harmony before a sturdy, dance-floor breakdown of hi-hat and funky blues licks, atmospheric piano before ending abruptly to confirm it's disposable nature ironically failing to find it's groove.


One Woman is a fantastic ode to Monogamy with a fast paced acoustic strum, a thick drawl vocal and feisty pedal steel and very punchy high harmonies during the chorus. The catchy central melody is hummed along at the end by the singer in one of many oddball moments on this album. Big Band Horns also make an appearance in a bit of an unnecessary, 10cc quirk they pop in twice for a glamorous effect in a mostly acoustic folk based song.



Friends features a warm, twilight vocal backed by more folk guitars and more circular melodies, except here we get spooky pedal steel work along side intense washes of big, fuzzy Eastern sounding synthesizers ringing out like a gong. The synthesizer is panned in the mix creating an extremely disconcerting intrusion in the track but completes the haunted nature of the track. What completes the weirdness is the coruscating climax of synthesizers and strings that completes this mini Prog workout though it is rather strange with the cooing, Southern vocals and lyrics about the benefits of Friends in 'high places' goes over my head in this heady, tribal ritual of a song.


Snuff Queen is a delightful 55 seconds of charming lap steel playing at it's best full of vacuum packed slide work displaying the paradox of the instrument; with it's smooth distortion and playing style of of spurts and sustains. Little Maggie starts in classic ballad piano on a sea of undulating fuzz Moogs before a short bass line leads us to an upbeat folk chords and lilting group vocals; once again the lap steel adds a great deal of lap steel fills. Warm is in the vein of Friends with the exact same formula; folk melody, rugged vocal, huge overwhelming fuzz synthesizer, here the acoustic chiming is faster and the synth dances along a little better with rhythm and still is odd in it's Medieval motifs as are the descriptive lyrics and the return of the synth for one last little climatic burst at the end. As I listen through this album it is a very strange, trippy production for the Southern rockers, different to much of their other work which would be either more funky or more folky depending on their mood but never again this Prog; though it fulfils the experimentation of their debut.



Ain't it Nice Here once again feels like deja vu picking up with the arrangement of Friends and Warm; let's see, circular acoustic riff, positive spirituality, brooding double-tracked lead vocals but alas no synthesizer just ringing bells and the echoes of a ghostly pedal steel. Ebeneezer reminds me of a the band Kansas with it's crystal clear balance of poignant piano, acoustic guitar, pedal steel and an aching Fuzz Moog, the heart and emotion of the song is apparent particularly when the watery organ part fades in the background. Big choral harmonies come in to bring to a close quite an experience; a Prog/Ballad/Trippy Folk album that contains a lot of synth work for an Americana act based in Nashville.

I'll choose One Woman as the gem as it is head and shoudlers above the rest on a songwriting basis.