"The Second Fifteen" is Rick Barr's fourth solo album. While comprised of all original material, this particular collection is actually a remake of his first album, "The Second Ten", which he recorded in 2002. While Rick had already been writing and recording music for more than a decade, it wasn't until he acquired a digital 4-track recording studio than he became serious about it.
His first effort was a learning experience; a chance to discover the fine art of mixing, along with the ability to record his guitar more than once for any song. Unfortunately, he was limited to just a 6 and 12-string, and with no bass guitar, resorted to tuning down the "bass" parts an entire octave to try to emulate the instrument. He also used drum software to create beats and rhythms, but his inexperience with that tempered the results somewhat.
Still, with some limitations on equipment and experience, his first effort was fairly solid. A collection of 22 songs that were, at the time, some of the best he had written to that point. Over the next few years, he would continue writing, recording, and most of all, learning.....until one day in early 2007, when it became clear to him that "The Second Ten" deserved better. By now, he had aquired three more guitars; a bass, an electric, and a 6-string acoustic/electric. He had also honed his skills in the art of mixing and mastering. He felt that by re-recording his first album, he would have allowed the songs within it to sound as good as he knew they always could, albeit five years later.
Below, you will find both albums. "The Second Ten" is free for all to enjoy on the web (though if you want the full CD with cover art, it is $2), while "The Second Fifteen" provides samples of the full tracks that you can enjoy for just $10. You can now purchase it directly from Barr26.COM using PayPal! E-Mail me with any problems or questions.
| THE SECOND TEN |
Surprise
This first entry tells the story of a guy who has taken his carousing and partying too far. He comes home one night to find himself locked out of his home, and from there, makes what are probably not the brightest choices. It's a fun song, and was one of Rick's favorites at the time.
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Zesty
"Zesty" tried to be a little different, sounding somewhat like a samba. The upbeat portions didn't have as much impact as they should have, but overall was one of the better tracks.
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Bad Times
This was the first track recorded for "The Second Ten". The bass part is good, it was a shame Rick didn't have an actual bass guitar to play it on.
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A Little Kiss
This was a favorite for many listeners, possibly because it actually had a narrative of some kind. It's a simple story about a man who spies a pretty girl across the street, and wishes only for one kiss. When he finally gets up the nerve to do it, he gets rejected. Pity.
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Mononucleosis
This has nothing to do with the kissing disease. Naming these songs was always somewhat arbitrary, often a name he would pick out after recording a demo and thinking very obscurely about what the tune felt like at the time. This one was first concieved in 1996, and it lay in wait for several years, much like the carrier of a communicable disease.....hey, wait.....
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Quarters
A quirky tune with not a very strong beat, it was meant to stand out for simply being different. If you like it, it does just that. Otherwise, it gets lost in the mix.
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IdioRomp
This was recorded almost as a demo. Rick played it without much technical care, instead letting the raw, unrefined sound shine through.
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Mellogie
The simplest of songs, this is just an acoustic guitar picking a tune. It is called "Mellogie" because it's a mellow song in G major.
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A Single Note
This was Rick's epic, something he had grand visions of in the beginning. This first results may have been somewhat underwhelming, but still did a good job of telling the tale of two lost souls who come together after hearing a single unifying chord.
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Everyone Loves Paul
Lyrically soft, the melody is decent. It's blatant Paul McCartney worship, which is odd because The Beatles were never a favorite of Rick's, so to this day, he has no idea what he was thinking.
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Level 18
This was one of several that was a good listen, but with no lyrics, got a bit lost. It never had a strong identity to it.
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Offbeat
The idea here was to propose a certain beat with the beginning rhythm guitar, but then switch slightly as the song really got underway. It's subtle here.
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1994
Written back in 1994, this was one that Rick decided to experiment with, using some of his 4-track's effects. He was never entirely happy with the result, as he felt he had overdone it.
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One Rider
A simple, acoustic-driven tune.
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Foreign Girl With A Flower
A song about a pretty girl. There isn't as much action as in "A Little Kiss". This one stays in a theoretical place.
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Express
This is all about work. Mainly, the long commute, and the need for rest after you get home.
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EasyBeat
This has always been a favorite, and had already enjoyed a reincarnation on "Take It Away" (2003). The original is still the best in some people's opinion, and it's hard to argue that.
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Running Around
If you listen closely, you'll almost hear three different melodies in the acoustic, 12-string, and bass parts. Production quality aside, there was nothing wrong with this one.
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Sticky Situation
This was a long, drawn out attempt at emulating Led Zep's "Achilles Last Stand". the music itself works fine, but there is simply not enough going on to keep the listener engaged, and at five-plus minutes, any song will need that.
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Up & Down
Going up and down the fret board throughout the song was good enough for a name in those days. It was always a favorite, but he never felt like he did it justice here.
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Tiny Fish
The name doesn't fit the tune, and the lyrics don't fit anything. Essentially, it's about a couple of grown children who are struggling to gain independance from their domineering mother. They succeed in the end, but it sounds like they'll have some issues to work out later.
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Dancin' On The Moon
This was never actually on "The Second Ten", but Rick does a J.R. Comics classic on each album, and had already done "Time's Running Out". "Dancin'" is the closest thing to a rock song he and John had back in the early '90's. John sings this classic version.
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| THE SECOND FIFTEEN |
Surprise
"Surprise" was the first song redone for this album, and the new life given to it was an inspiration to Rick the rest of the way. With a better understanding of how a couple dozen separate tracks could be merged into one great listening experience, he was ready to conquer the rest of them.
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Zesty
Though shortened a bit, the new version doesn't stray much from the original's format. With a stronger beat, this one is easy to dance to.
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Bad Times
The acoustic guitar rhythm was changed a bit, but other than that, the only major difference is a fuller sound.
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A Little Kiss
Though the temptation to simply mimic the original was great, Rick decided to go a different direction, to something slower. It has an almost country feel to it.....or perhaps a waltz? Rick likes not being able to be pinned down to any one category, so he just writes what sounds good at the time. It keeps him fresh.
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Mononucleosis
The song had always been divided into three equal, but proressively interesting parts. Rick decided to take it as far as he could go without destroying it. From a full minute of simple acoustic guitar to the end, with banging drums and electric-ness in the air, you get to hear a full evolution within a 3-minute song.
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Quarters
Not wanting an obscure song to be lost any more, Rick tries saving it by adding a few instruments and providing a stronger beat.
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IdioRomp
While most of the songs on the new album were refined, exapnded upon, and made "bigger", Rick knew that the heart of this one was in its generic structure. Wanting to get the most out of that idea, the only instrument he plugged in was the bass guitar. Everything else is natural, including the percussion section, in which a thick book and baking sheet were used for the main beat.
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Mellogie
The full version is included here, simply because there were no improvements or changes done to it. It's essentially the same.
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A Single Note
There was much room for improvement, and much was done, but the main structure of the song, with the acoustic guitar, was played exactly the same as the original. Everything else around it is new.
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Everyone Loves Paul
Little has changed here, though Rick could have changed the hero of the song to something more appropriate, like "Pete", or "Jimmy".
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Level 18
Knowing there was a really good song hidden inside the original, Rick turned it into a flat-out rock tune, keeping it short and sweet. It's definitely more memorable.
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Offbeat
Pushing the idea a bit further, you'll get a few odd beats scattered throughout as the tone of the song changes. The piano really drives this one more than most.
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1994
Wanting to get back to the basics of the song, he keeps the percussion fairly mellow and purposely leaves any kind of real structure out of it.
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One Rider
Not much needed changed here. Sometimes it's good to keep it simple.
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Foreign Girl With A Flower
Again, not much needed changed, just some enhancements around the edges.
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Express
This one deserved to be a bit faster, since the idea was that the character was very stressed.
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EasyBeat
Since there had already been another version, it was time to change the style of it. Both a 12 and 6-string were used (in different speakers), and the second verse picks up a bit.
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Running Around
How do you imrpove a song that didn't need much to begin with? By keeping the same underlying idea and building on it in a completely different way. This one rocks.
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Sticky Situation
Cutting the length in half, Rick also chooses to go a completely different direction after you've become familiar with it. The use of drums here is unique and gives a lot of depth to the three instruments being used.
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Up & Down
Justice prevails. This is exactly what Rick thought the song could be.
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Tiny Fish
No song changed more than this one. Rick somewhat regretted leaving the fast-paced fun behind, but the oddball lyrics screamed for something different.....gospel, anyone?
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Dancin' On The Moon
Since they never had any proper electric recordings from the past, Rick decided to go all out with this update and make it worthy of its potential.
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