Holidaze In Lumania
Demented Punk, 2019
8/10
If you’ve been milling around the outsider rock scene for awhile now, but might recognize the name Barnes & Barnes, as the pair secured some fame in the late ‘70s with their hit “Fish Heads”. Here, Artie and Art Barnes (real names Robert Haimer and Bill Mumy), return with their first album of original tunes in over a decade, as the pair address holidays in their comedic and highly unusual fashion.
“Christmas In Lumania” starts the listen with raspy, troll like vocals and soft acoustic guitars in the quirky opener, and “Down By Candy Cane Lane” continues the theme with humorous storytelling alongside bare instrumentation that you might think of as the anti-pop Christmas tune.
At 15 tracks there’s a lot cover, and the pair tackle other traditions, too, including “Kwanzaa’s Here Again”, where light music glides amid the educational singing that might be the most ‘normal’ tune present, while “Hanukkah At Our House” is a fuller display of multifaceted skill.
Back half highlights include the indie-folkish, gospel parody “Jesus Is Groovy”, and the atmospheric “The Angel Of Death Is Near”, which uses gruff vocals strategically. Closer to the end, “Christmas Is Coming Better Start Running” brings keys to the affair with a more dramatic delivery, and “Silent Night, Holy Newt” puts a bizarre spin on the traditional with snarled vocals the follow soaring, angelic, background singing.
Bizarre, demented and boldly ignoring any preconceived ideas of how music is supposed to sound, Barnes & Barnes are still doing what they do best, i.e. an avant garde approach that’s kind of like Weird Al on acid making music that isn’t bound by any societal expectations.
Travels well with: Wild Man Fischer- Nothing Scary; Crispin Glover- The Big Problem Does Not Equal The Solution. The Solution= Let It Be