Lucifers Beard – Frog Class (2023)
Believing in freedom of expression, letting go of restrictions and other cultural associations, singer-songwriter Chris Barnes is “…doing what feels right for me” when it comes to music. Under the moniker Lucifers Beard, the UK-based multi-instrumentalist, producer, engineer and one-man-band, Barnes has been sharing his musical endeavours with the world for just over ten years. His debut single ‘Go With The Children’ (2012) had a post-punk vibe which evolved into something heavier and harder with ‘Kulasekara’ in 2014.
Following a six-year break from 2014 to 2020, Barnes returned with a hard rock crashing of drums and guitars in Y E T I. A few years later and we have another shift to harder grunge with ‘Lady Loser’ and even more of a shift to metal-influenced ‘Mr Invisible’. Now, on the heels of ‘Mr Invisible’, he brings us another surprise in ‘Frog Class’.
Recorded at his home studio using analogue equipment, then mastered at a boutique mastering house in Leeds, ‘Frog Class’ has a flowing sophistication in the production but retains the crass rawness of analogue. If I had to categorise ‘Frog Class’, I’d say there’s a blend of pop-rock with hard-hitting guitars and drums; however, the distortion and scratchy grittiness might lean toward grunge or indie-rock. One aspect I find particularly entertaining is how a smooth, jovial pop sound slivers beneath everything in its elegant, soothing way. Like a stressed-out person lying on a soft fluffy mattress…then again, that’s if I were to categorise ‘Frog Class’.
An assault on the ears, but not in the creepy angry way rather a quick shove by a friend in a teasing fashion, ‘Frog Class’ is a nervous ball of music filled with angst and frustration. Influenced by life in its totality, Barnes is unafraid to find inspiration in almost anything and looks at profound themes like love, hate, joy and fear. ‘Frog Class’ touches on relationships – how they come, go and change.
“Like the ebb and flow of seasons in a year, friendships come and go, enemies can become friends and loved ones leave us…” – Chris Barnes on ‘Frog Class’
In all its eclecticism, Barnes brings a sense of order to these emotions in ‘Frog Class’. Love is the pop mattress soothing from beneath. The distortion in the melody is the changing relationships. Even the brief intense frenzy expresses that “oh bloody hell what just happened” thought. All in all, it is a beautiful representation of the good, the bad and the ugly in life.
For more from Lucifers Beard, check out his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
