Tom Barrett - Everywhere We Live

Tom Barrett was a prevalent figure in both the Jersey City and Hoboken music scenes, having played in a wide variety of diverse bands since the late twentieth century, and eventually releasing his own indie folk-inspired solo recordings under his own name. By early 2023, both he and his wife Stacy decided they wanted a change of scenery, so they packed up the car and moved down to East Nashville, TN with their two cats. His new record, Everywhere We Live, is largely inspired by their migration.

While drawing upon many of the same folky influences (Nick Drake, Beck, Iron & Wine) that have been informing his solo output since 2011, the self-recorded Everywhere We Live is easily the brightest, most full-sounding collection Barrett has released to date. Soft acoustic guitars and hushed drums now play more foundational roles in this batch of songs, as newer elements such as drum machines, upright bass and a wide range of keyboard and Mellotron sounds elevate the overall feeling of the record, adding a few sunnier touches to Barrett’s unique brand of melancholia.

Most of the songs reckon with the feelings of anxiety and fear that can come with leaving behind the only true home you’ve ever known, while trying to find the strength within yourself to embrace new surroundings. The Kurt Vile-inspired album opener “Two Places at Once” and the sullen piano ballad “Do You Think About the Lights” are the most fitting illustrations of those ideas.

Other songs such as the David Foster Wallace-referencing “Praise” and groovy perc-driven centerpiece “Art House Films” contend more with the trappings of artistic quandary and impostor syndrome. The poppier “Honest Eyes” and “The Animals” provide some levity, while two untitled dreamlike interludes offer brief moments of respite. The instrumental “Nick,” a not-so-subtle sonic nod to the great Nick Drake, closes the record.