Those looking for music suitable for a cabin trip or a campfire on a summer night will be pleased with the consistently relaxed yet joyful sound of Barchords. The second album released by Bahamas never strays from the warm and peaceful feel the band name suggests. With such compatible choices of mentors and coworkers, it’s no wonder Afie Jurvanen was able to develop such a simple yet beautiful sound.

After years on tour with fellow Canadian Feist, Jurvanen has signed with Jack Johnson’s Brushfire label and seemingly perfected the minimalist approach to an album. On any particular song throughout Barchords, the highs never peak too far from the lows. Even the rests and absence of music have their place among the refreshingly warm songs that revolve around Jurvanen’s voice. While each track uses his deliberate and strong vocals to the fullest, the melody of album opener “Lost in the Light” rises above the rest.

The guitar riff of the opening track isn’t tricky. It isn’t loud. It isn’t soaked in effects or layered with rhythm and just as important as the actual picking of the strings is the audible muting of Jurvanen’s hand on them. The tune is however, capable of causing a calming effect. Coupled with the wonderful harmony of two female backup singers, drifting away from current troubles is a very plausible side effect associated with “Lost in the Light.”

While many of the tracks refer to the end of a relationship, Afie Jurvanen of Bahamas seems to have created an album based on level headed thought in the face of trying times. His emotions never rise to the point of anger and rarely allow him to distribute blame for the failed union. Slow but not sad, and calm throughout, Barchords is an album fit for any purpose, and perhaps specifically intended for none. 

About The Author

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A Madison native and UW graduate, Chris Kraemer lives and breathes between Monona and Mendota. His passion for experiencing an album in its entirety helps him feel at home while frequently apart from his beloved isthmus.