Barbarian Twins
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Barbarian Twins

Oslo, Oslo County, Norway | SELF

Oslo, Oslo County, Norway | SELF
Band Rock Classic Rock

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"CD: Det er ikke bare bare å være barbar, det er faktisk ganske tøft."

Av Kristoffer Mosfjeld

Godt og vel et år er gått siden Musiq avla Barbarian Twins et besøk i et dunkelt studio i Oslo. Siden den gang har barbarene unnagjort en omfattende USA-turné, deriblant en radiokonsert for en million lyttere, og er for tiden aktuelle i moderlandet med sin debutplate, ”Won´t Bow Down”.

Tvillingene, som egentlig er en trio, har godt fotfeste i den amerikanske roots´n´blues-tradisjonen, men sverger tidvis også til mer livlige, karibiske toner i form av sommervennlig reggae og ska. Men når alt kommer til alt er barbarene først og fremst et rockeband. Et tøft rockeband.

Det hele åpner svært lovende med Dealer´s Squealing, der man umiddelbart legger merke til bandets gode øre for de små, dog viktige detaljene i form av fete bass- og gitarlicks mellom riffene. Låten for øvrig preges av et allsangvennlig refreng der blåserekken utgjør alfa omega. Letting It Go er en av skivas to ballader og er et nydelig stykke musikk der vokalist Bård Andersson og gitaren hans gjør sakene sine bra.

Man blir automatisk i godt humør av ska, og man gliser fra øre til øre når man hører Knockin´ On Your Door, som i tillegg presenterer en halvgal kar på trompet, og gliset blir om mulig enda breiere. Shake It Up er som tittelen indikerer en dansbar sak, som med sin funky fremtoning og enda flere blåsere, utvider sjangerpreferansene til bandet enda et godt stykke. Jaggu kan dem funk også, gitt.

Normalt er 15 låter et par låter for mye, men barbarene kommer unna med det på grunn av en imponerende allsidighet, og det faktum at ingen av sporene er direkte svake.

Release: Juni 2009.

- www.musiq.no


"En frisk debut"

Barbarian Twins

Frisk debut

Won't bow down
D & M Records

Barbarian Twins er en Oslo-trio som alt har en omfattende USA-turné bak seg. På debutalbumet leverer de hele 15 spor med velspilt og underholdende rockemusikk med solide røtter i den afroamerikanske tradisjonen. Her er det masse funk og groove, kule blåsere og raspende rootsy vokal. I Bård Andersson har de dessuten ikke bare en solid og fin gitarist, men også en utmerket låtskriver. Han bedriver i hovedsak stødig og sprudlende sjangerslalåm mellom jazz, blues, soul, funk og klassisk rock med et sjarmerende lite sidesprang innom reggae («Knockin' on your Door»). Blant mange fine spor er funky og svært dansbare «Shake it up» min favoritt ved siden av det svært spenstige avslutningsnummeret «‘44».
En frisk debut.

Per Kristian Hansen

- www.ostlendingen.no


"Song review: .44"


Industry Review of ".44" (2006) by The Bullitt (Now Barbarian Twins)

Category IRB Review Score Music:

While you definitely have some cool guitar chord inversions on this track, the rest of the musical character of the track is a bit under developed. The melody is almost non-existent and this is the most critical factor in improving this track. Listen to any Guns 'n'Roses or Metallica track and you will find a melody at the center of the production. 7

Lyrics:
You present an interesting situation, kind of like a scene in a Dirty Harry movie where Harry gets the upper hand after somebody pulls a gun on him. What's missing is the other details. What is the actual situation: a real gunfight, sexual metaphor or what? Here your lyrics focus on just the one aspect of this situation, your opponents' terror. You've got everybody's attention, but don't really do anything with it. 7

Arrangement & Production:
The long introduction is an interesting attention grabber and sets up the listener for something interesting to happen. Like a spaghetti western soundtrack, you get anticipation flowing with the opening passages and then hit the groove with some cool licks. Your recording and mix are both cool (although the track does seem light on bass), but you don't balance all your anticipation with a hard hitting payoff chorus. This could be achieved by better arranging; you treat your chorus like it's a "B" section, prepping the listener for a payoff that does't come. For example, the chorus could be a third section with the lyrics" you better run" or you could sing the "see the truth in your eyes - know I ain't gonna die - now you see my 44. 'Cause you know it's for real - no backyard deal - now you see my 44" with a melody that changes rather than singing the same notes over and over. 8

Lead Vocal:
Your vocal has got plenty of attitude, but there isn't much structured evolution of the music in the track or in the vocal. A melody would help lead you (and the listener) from one section to the next or through the chorus. Without a stronger melody in your vocal, the vocal track sounds like a throwaway performance. 7

Musicianship:
All the playing is fine for the genre you're working in. You don't really need much more in the drums than a driving performance. The guitars are performed with flair and good energy. But if you did flesh out the production with different sounds on the guitars, a stronger bass performance, more drum fills, etc. you could get away with this vocal. 8

Originality:
The idea of knowing your about to die is classic spaghetti western pathos. So you get points for the concept, not because it's new, but because it's not been used in pop music too much. The real achievement would be to flesh out the lyrics so the details of personality and situation are addressed. In other words, this time it's personal. 7

Marketability:
With a great look and attitude-heavy video, this track could make some noise as it is. But ultimately you need to make a bit more of the lyric before this song reaches its' full potential. You have lots of cool elements, but the scene needs to get some back-up to sustain it's story over the course of the track. 7

General Comments:
Really cool rockin' guitar and a vivid idea, but this needs some tweaking before that gun will fire. I'd focus first on fleshing out the sotry; you can still be ambiguous, but you need more info to sustain the listeners' attention.

Average Score: 7.286 (Scale 1-10)

Curtis Lowell, Make A Star
- Make A Star. Link: http://www.makeastar.com/asps/songreview_latest.asp


"Mick and Keith-magic"

English translation: This concert opened with a clip from the Steve McQueen-movie "Bullitt". The band performed behind the curtain for the first number, and the funky instrumental, Backstreet Stalker became the highlight of the evening. The band communicated more with the audience than the other bands at this festival. They were tight, and the fusion between the different genres was balanced and inspiring. - www.musiq.no (link in norwegian: http://www.maika.nu/reviews/www_musiq_no%20artikkel.htm)


Discography

"Backstage Spin" - Live CD 2011
"International Bootleg" - DVD 2010
"Won't Bow Down" - LP 2008
"Extended Play" (2007) - EP 2007
"Prosjekt 101" (2006) - LP. Various artists (the song ".44" appeared on it - released by MEET Productions). 2006
".44 Collection" (2005) - EP 2005

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Bio

Barbarian Twins is a rock band from Oslo, Norway. The group released the album, Won't Bow Down, in 2009 on the american D and M Records-label.

In 2009, the band toured extensively in the US behind the new release. The successful tour made a name for the band in America, and the Twins will take the trip over the pond in the near future.

Currently, the band is working on a deal for the second album, House Of Ill Fame, that will be released in 2011.

The group's music is often described as a mixture of rock'n'roll, blues, funk and classic rock. To sum it up; A rocking cousin of the Faces and The Rolling Stones.

Brilliant songwriting and a unique tightness make the live shows a genuin pleasure.