Bahamas

Summer has come a bit early this year and I’m not talking about the unseasonably warm weather. Bahamas’ new album Barchords is perfect summer-time listening; if Jack Johnson and M. Ward were spooning on the couch, Bahamas would be the warm damp area between the skin on skin contact. Everything about the album makes you want to sit in the sun with a cold beer.

Initially, I was tempted to find this album after hearing a perfectly pleasant song called Lost In The Light. I instantly became obsessed with the incredible backing vocals that ever so slightly beef up a sublime guitar riff. I wish songs were inhabitable because I’d fucking live in this track; it is light, warm, and uplifting.

Take a moment to come back down to Earth after watching that video.

Do I have you attention now?

Bahamas in the moniker of singer/songwriter Afie Jurvanen. Originally from Canada, Afie has played guitar for other bands/artists. Most notably, he played with Feist for the past couple of years and I can understand why his skills are in high demand. The guitar on Barchords rattles my innards. Afie doesn’t need to shred it up because he always manages to hit that perfect note or chord to make your knees weak.

The overall sound is romantically retro. Afie’s smooth and smokey voice is soothing to the ears and his low register is balanced out by soft female backing vocals. And did I mention how much I dig these backing vocals? Oh, I already did? Well, let me go on….

• They flawlessly parallel Afie’s retro timbre
• They can become angelically gospel when kicked into high gear.
• They are subtle, yet, the songs and the album would be naked without them.

While I admittedly download this album because of Lost In The Light, I’m happy to tell you that the other tracks on Barchords do not fall short of excellent. Never Again is one of the darker songs on the album with a haunting Dick Dale-eque guitar solo, but it’s also a perfect example of how the background vocals take the chorus into another range. Caught Me Thinking is a fun track with clever guitar riffs that make me dance and the guitar solo on Your Sweet Touch put Afie’s instrumental skills on display.

Barchords will melt the stress right off of your shoulders; it’s like a drug that you can take audibly. This album is going to get multiple plays on the ipod and will keep me high all summer. Check it out.