The Review Delaware (December 1996)
BARRY'S DEBUT TELLS OF A BITTER, HAUNTING TALE
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The Beginning. The Middle. The End.
Kristen Barry
Virgin Records
Rating: 3 1/2
BY JILL CORTRIGHT
When Kristen Barry opened for Superdrag at the Trabant University Center Nov. 22. she tried to give the crowd more energy by providing free sugar. She and her band mates tossed strips of lollipops and bags of Hershey Kisses to the crowd.
However, the songs on Barry's debut release are far from sugar-coated. Instead, they are more like an iced cappuccino with a double shot of espresso; strong and slightly bitter, yet ultimately energizing.
The raw immediacy of this album gives the impression that the Seattle native is most in her element when performing live. Barry presented an "Award for Most Shows Attended" in the CD liner to a dedicated fan, Janet McDermott - evidence that she wants her listeners to remember that her hest work is done outside the studio.
"The Beginning. The Middle. The End." is not the sort of alnum a fan would expect from someone with classical piano training. Songs like "I Swear" are filled to the brim with female angst and driving guitars. Don't think Alanis, but think more along the lines of Hole or PJ Harvey.
In "Cool," Barry accuses her lover for sending her into mental ruin, singing in a voice oozing with passion, "It's not my fault./ You took my control." Intense vocals, the powerful electric guitars of Barry and Rick DeChurch and the strong base line of Chris Ballew, on loan from the Presidents of the United States of America, combine to create something amazing.
"Gotta Go" speaks of the need to eventually leave people behind: "I stood there by the door / And I stood there through all of your changes / But I guess we all have to grow up sometimes / We all have our lives to live." Sad. but true.
Barry's cover of Neil Young's "Don't Cry" is quiet and subdued with haunting chimes in the background while she sings, but guitars become driving when her vocals stop. Wow.
The chorus of "Big Girl" - "So you want to bury me under your landslide" - is reminiscent in sound and rhythm of PJ Harvey's "Dress" ("If you put it on, if you put it on"). Rocking? Yes. Original? No.
The mood changes completely with the guitar-and piano-backed "Why Are You Wasting My Time." While Barry's voice sounds good in driving rock songs, where its power can be matched by loud guitars and bass, her impassioned singing tugs at the heartstrings against the quiet beauty of the piano.
While the majority of Barry's music is about the standard topic of personal relationships, "God in the Box" is about television. "Through the wire through the wall. I am connected to it all," Barry sings. The song begins slowly, but ends on a powerful note with her belting out, "I can think for myself." Quite the social commentary.
The final. hidden track reveals a crazy, silly side of Barry that is not evident on the rest of the CD. In a duet between Barry and an unaccredited male band mate, the acoustic song tells of "Cupcake and Booboo Cow" in the style of a folk ballad and ends with a dog yelping along and the singers eventually cracking up.
Many of Barry's more hard-rocking songs tend to blend together after a while, causing listeners to think, "Wait. didn't I hear that one already?" But songs such as "Why Are You Wasting My Time" make Kristen Barry a welcome addition to a scene that still has way too few female performers.
