If you’re hoping Barley Legal is a band of scantily-garbed 18-year-old temptresses… a. Get your mind out of the gutter. b. It’s way better than that. c. You might want to take another look, because it’s spelled b-a-r-l-e-y. Yup, as in barley and hops of golden delicious beer. Nope, Barley Legal is no voyeuristic operation.
Barley Legal is a 7-piece outfit, setting out to produce feel good Americana music with a beach vibe. The outcome is a smooth, rock ‘n roll sound that has been compared to Tom Petty, Wilco, and the E Street Band, while communicating a Southern California, South Bay feel. I could see fans of Latch Key Kid enjoying Barely Legal.
Judge for yourself this Saturday with the release of their debut album “All Your Stories” at Brixton’s Dive.
“The album attempts to capture the feel and flavor of the South Bay unlike any other recording,” says RUHS alumnus and acoustic guitarist Jason Carver. “We opted to go old school with the album, recording mostly live in the studio to analog tape, and with very few overdubs…resulting in an earthiness that reminds the listener of old LP’s from the 1970s.”
I’ll tell you what, the finished product comes across with such clarity you’d think the LP was made of flawless quartz crystal played under a flawless diamond needle. At the very least, a super thick limited, Japanese pressing that’s never been spun around the player.
The boys from the band spent a couple of months laying down the tracks at John Baffa’s TV Tray Studios in Simi Valley. It was produced by their own multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Nate LaPointe, and mastered at Capital Records in Hollywood.
Barley Legal is: Brent Reger on percussion, trumpet, ukulele, and vocals; Chris Shea on drums and percussion; Jason Carver on acoustic guitar; Jay Constable on bass guitar and vocals; Mike Morano on accordion, piano, keyboard, organ, and Wurlitzer; Nate LaPointe on electric guitar, mandolin, pedal steel, and vocals; and Stephen “Saxy” Herring on flute and saxophone.
“The three singers share an uncanny knack for harmony, evoking the sounds of the Everly Brothers or Simon & Garfunkel,” says Carver. “The rest of the band is filled out by acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, trumpet, saxophone, bass, and drums. On a few songs we’re helped out by a string quartet.”
That’s the case with notable track “Sunshine,” where strings dance with flute and pay perfect compliment to the layers of sound coming from the band; all carried by a strong, yet reassuring vocal lead that’s reminiscent of Cat Stevens. Cello lends its emotive effects to the wistful cut “Willow Tree,” while the harmonizing vocalists slap cathartic bruises into your abdomen and throat.
A band of this size and instrumental breadth doesn’t happen overnight. It happens over beer. Barley Legal formed in 2009, when, following some sunny afternoon BBQ and brews, songwriter and guitarist Carver picked up a guitar and was unexpectedly joined by long time friend Reger’s melodic voice. Carver suggested they do something. The unveiling took place at Suzy’s Bar and Grill in Hermosa Beach.
They’d recruited South Bay drummer Shea and Philadelphia keyboardist Morano to help round out their sound. A Sunday residency at On The Rocks in Redondo Beach followed, where the fates would find them a bass player, Constable.
An accomplished singer/songwriter, Constable was one of many local musicians who would stop by to jam with the band. They were gaining steam, and a following, which attracted guitarist LaPointe. He officially joined as lead guitarist and producer of the debut album.
While work on the album persisted, the band hosted the first annual Regerstock. The event promoted local talent and goodwill while observing the recent passing of beloved brother Clinton Reger. During the fading hours of the festival, local sax player Herring joined the band for a ripping set, which established him as the seventh member of Barley Legal.
So what’s with the name?
“Reger brews his own beer, which we are looking to get out there at our shows at some point,” Carver divulges. “He brought a keg over to my birthday a couple years ago and we named it Barley Legal. A few months later (two years ago next month, and 133 shows later), we went to an open mic to play together for the first time and we called ourselves Barley Legal.”
Barley Legal is throwing an Album Release Party this Saturday, Nov 13, at the Dive at Brixton. A DJ opens the doors at 8 p.m. Midnight Screening opens for BL at 9 p.m. Legal takes the stage at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 and includes a copy of “All Your Stories”
They’ll also be performing Dec 2 at Saint Rocke with Still Time, and Jan 14 at The Key Club with Toad The Wet Sprocket. You can check out their video for the standout track “California” on their at www.BarleyLegalBand.com. You can preview select tracks from “All Your Stories” at www.DirtyHippieRadio.com. ER
