Voices
Truly Handmade, 2025
9/10
An artist who made a dent while still in his teens, the youngster Jack Barksdale delivers like an old soul, and here he brings us 11 songs penned entirely by himself and recruits an all star cast.
The warm spirit of “The Man, The Myth, The Legend” opens with Barksdale’s soft voice that suits the gentle ambience, and “Martyrs” follows with Sarah Jarosz’s elegant mandolin complementing the poetic beauty.
Moving into the middle, “A Funny Song” allows for Barksdale’s intimate guitar to radiate amid his heartfelt singing, while “Song Of The Artist” is a fuller moment that benefits from the layered guitars.
Landing near the end, Mike Meadows’ light drums complement the lullaby mood of “The End Of Days”, and the title track exits with strategic percussion and stirring strings surrounding Barksdale’s touching delivery.
Although Barksdale’s pipes and guitar are the focus here, the sparing but effective use of accordion (Bukka Allen), oahu slide guitar (Jeff Plankenhorn), cello (Diana Burgess) and violin and viola (Luke Moller) won’t go unnoticed across this thoughtful and mature body of work.
Travels well with: Jack Barksdale- Death Of A Hummingbird; Jack Barksdale- Live From Niles City