Artist of the day - Barney Cortez

Farewell Dogs is a sentimental, mature set of 6 songs. These tracks offer subdued melodies connected with worldly wise emotive lyrics, skillful guitar playing and arrangement. Barney Cortez not only crafts lyrics that pierce through your veiled avoidant coping mechanisms, he is a polished guitar player. See the video below where he lets loose on and shows the kids how it is done on a Goldfinch guitar (Kensington model. Yet on Farewell he slows downs the pace while handling his acoustic guitar with deft charm. These songs invoke a 60s folky vibe while staying current with the introspective material. There are 2 dreamy, afternoon sun soaked interludes that conger up George Harrison in his enlightened state.

His vocal delivery tints the ear with a latent similarity to Elliot Smith, especially on the last track "Culture Club", he sings "Somewhere we are all in this culture club" Perhaps a stab at the current mood in the air. Still the more I listened the more I heard another 90s evocative singer songwriter, Evan Dando. Evan too sings of love, loss, self and outside observation with a similar languid yet gentle misty like manner.

"Brains in Bondage" spoke to a deliberate way where he doesn't waste one lyric. His songs last around 3 mines and change except for "Culture" which clocks at 4:26. Still songs of that time limit give you just enough to get the point across lyrically and to hook you in with soothing guitar playing. The use of the pedal steel and perfectly time drumming take the songs into a heady direction often leaving you in a blissful day dream state. The brown velvet guitar style on the last track shines on with a fade out that signifies Barney has gone through some phases, has achieved a form of acceptance and he is ready to move on.

Dedicated to the memory of Tiger Merritt, Billy Swayze, Luanne Wise and Kathleen McDonnell
Barn: Guitar, bass, vocals
Nick Bockrath: pedal steel guitar
Harry Zelnick: production/drums
Rick Friedrich: mastering engineer

All the proceeds of this download will go to Tiger Merritt's family. Tiger was a friend to Barney. He died earlier in April at the tender age of 31. Please support Barney on his musical journey and his kind gesture to the Merritt family.

https://www.facebook.com/rick.fisherman.35/videos/1157060447807046/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

https://barneycortez.bandcamp.com/album/farewell-dogs-2

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