Album Review/ Singer-Songwriter : Barry Allen’s ‘Perhaps’

Barry Allen is a singer-songwriter and a folk artist. He explores moments and emotions of life in such a human way. It’s informal, confessional, contemplative, and full of candor. Even the melodies and instrumentals that form around it blossom with a similar energy. It’s comforting, feel-good and relatable. ‘Perhaps’ is one of the artist’s best collections, with an array of songs that delve into the possibilities of love. 

The album opens with ‘Stay’, a warm and luminous acoustic track. It has an expansive, buoyant alt folk style. With profound lyrics, it yearns and grows into such a pleasant space. Tracks like ‘Beautiful Thing’, ‘Envy’ and ‘The Life of Jesus’ have a similar effect. They grow into you, the feelings opening with meaning, tale and perspective. You can’t help but feel immersed and consumed by it. 

In ‘Perhaps’, the title track we see a little bit of a more dynamic and fun rhythm style. The drums and the uptempo beat is a great vehicle for the theme. ‘Secrets’ and ‘The Two of Us’ are slower acoustic mosaics. They have ethereal quotients and swirl and create a soft transcendence. ‘Marvellous’ is also a slow song, created with mellow piano keys and a thoughtful vocal line. ‘In the Darkness’ crafts a movie, while ‘Highly and Lowly’ grounds and draws you into its theme. It softens the lens and sweetens the mood. Listen Now! 

Produced by musician Mike Cliffe, it carries the listener authentically through the experiences of the artist. Listening to the track feels like you’re getting to know another person, his thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The artist sings from a place of openness and you immediately feel it. The tracks let you in, allowing the listener to simmer and swirl, bringing their own memories and thoughts into it. 

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The album is available for streaming and purchase on Bandcamp! 

You can listen to ‘Perhaps’ by Barry Allen here -