Premiere: Rick Barry, A Sunk Cost Fallacy and the Enduring Mirage

A Day Early

Today, it's my great honor to share with you the premiere of the latest album from award-winning Asbury Park singer / songwriter Rick Barry. CoolDad Music premiered single "The Ardor of Bloom" back in late 2017, and our wait for the final collection is finally over. A Sunk Cost Fallacy and the Enduring Mirage is the follow-up to Barry's acclaimed Curses, Maledictions, and Harsh Reiterations. It officially hits all digital platforms tomorrow, but Rick was kind enough to let everyone have listen a day early.

Yours truly went to grad school for economics, and the fallacy of sunk costs is a frustrating concept. People are supposed to behave rationally by weighing the costs and benefits of any decision; but they often allow past, unrecoverable investments to factor in, which, in academic economics, doesn't really make sense. So I asked Rick:

The title A Sunk Cost Fallacy and the Enduring Mirage references this idea of weighing the (sunk) costs and benefits of sticking things out when, for example, "It has never been more obvious that this world is growing tired of us." But on songs like "No Such Luck (Surprise, Surprise)" or "My Heart Is Your Apple," there's this sense of not being able to resist even though you know things aren't going to go well. So what's the relationship among sunk costs, enduring mirages that things will get better, and irresistible forces that makes the people you write about behave so frustratingly irrationally?

Rick Barry: I think the idea of sunk costs, as pertaining to human beings' emotional investments, could be considered a general theme throughout my catalog going back 15 years. Maybe it surfaced a bit more this time around because, after 15 years of putting out records and trying to sell yourself, you start to wonder if your music "career" itself is a sunk cost endeavor. I don't really feel that way, but if you look at it from an economic standpoint, were I to judge my level of success in the music business by financial returns, there would be no argument that I have failed thus far and, most likely, henceforth. 

"We have a right to our labor, but not the fruits of our labor." I read that somewhere recently. It's some Hare Krishna shit, but I like it. If you think about it that way, then you'd better love your work, because the work itself is all that's guaranteed. 

I guess it's a struggle to apply a mentality like that to the things that are important to you in life. I know I struggle with it; and, evidently, it comes through in my work. 

The most tragic "characters" in these songs are the ones who don't find a way to move on, the person in "No Such Luck" isn't asking a question when they say, "What would life be like if the other wasn't there?" They are making a statement. They are saying, "I don't know what the alternative is, and I am too fucking scared to find out." I don't know. At the end of the day, I'm not some fiction writer. All these "characters" are some part of me. Some, hopefully, lesser part, that is weak and afraid or deluded and misguided. Making those parts of me narrate a song is really the easiest way to look in the mirror in judgement and say, "Don't be that person."

That level of candor and honesty is present throughout the new record, and an all-star cast of musicians helped Barry to realize his vision. "I'm really excited about this new album," Barry said. "I feel like it completely captures how a particular group of players, at a particular time in my life, were able to inspire and influence the direction of these tunes in a way that is unique to anything I have put out before."

OK. Enough words. That's not why you came here. You can check out A Sunk Cost Fallacy and the Enduring Mirage a day early below. The album releases to all digital platforms tomorrow, and you can order it over at Rick Barry's Bandcamp page.



Rick celebrates the release of the album with a show at The Saint on Saturday, June 8th. Joining Rick's band on the bill will be Tara Dente and The Blind Pilots, Lou Montesano, Warsh Rag (ft. Avery Mandeville and Noah Rauchwerk), and American Casino.

Premiere: New Single from Rick Barry. He's Releasing a Digital 7" on 12/15.

"The Ardor of Bloom"

The early stages of relationships are exhilarating. The euphoria that defines the initial honeymoon period can make us gloss over or ignore some problems or incompatibilities that become obvious with time. As things cool off and we begin to settle into a routine, things can begin to fray. We see that, maybe, what's broken can't really be fixed. But those first few weeks or months are beautiful, even if they don't last.

On "The Ardor of Bloom," Asbury Park's Rick Barry -- singer, songwriter, gardener -- gives his own, unique take on all of this. He understands the cycle. He knows the bloom is temporary; and, while watching something die, he longs to feel that early fire again.

Recorded at The Farm Studios in West Chester, PA, "The Ardor of Bloom" is, at times, both intimate and expansive with rolling drums coming in to make everything sound bigger at the right moments. Joining Barry (vocals / acoustic guitar) are Justin Bornemann (guitars), Santo Rizzolo (drums), Mark Masefield (piano / organ), Zach Westfall (upright bass), and Maggie Rose (vocals).

"The Ardor of Bloom" is the A-side to a digital 7" (b/w "How to Get Lost in a Crowd") which is due next Friday, 12/15. Pre-orders are up now and come with a download of "The Ardor of Bloom."

Rick Barry and Maggie Rose play Wonder Bar in Asbury Park next Thursday, 12/14, with special guest Christina LaRocca.

Stuff: Rick Barry, NGHTCRWLRS, Belle & Sebastian Anniversary

You Could Either Be Successful or Be Us

Here are a few things I wanted to mention as we go into the weekend.

Rick Barry, "Wanderlust"

Last week, Rick Barry released the second video from his Curses, Maledictions, and Harsh Reiterations. "Wanderlust," designed by Nick Kiefer and animated by Dan Matlack, displays a meticulousness and attention to detail that's reflective of Barry's songwriting. In addition, the fantastical feel of the clip captures the song's sentiment of a longed for escape.

Check out the beautiful video below.

Curses, Maledictions, and Harsh Reiterations is out now and available wherever you like to get your musical fix. Rick Barry returns with his band to New York City for a show this Saturday, 11/19, at Rockwood Music Hall.

NGHTCRWLRS, Raging Hot, 2016

New Jersey alt / indie rockers, NGHTCRWLRS, released their sophomore LP last Friday. Frank DeFranco, Eric Goldberg, Max Rauch, and Brian Goglia are "four gentlemen from New Jersey who are deeply in love with music but completely frustrated by the mundane realities of modern life."

Opener and first single "Are Two Dee Two" sounds like a 21st century descendant of The Byrds' "So You Wanna Be a Rock 'n Roll Star." There's humor, like the companion pieces "Coffee and Weed" and "Weed and Coffee." The former is rocking and caffeinated, while the latter is plodding and stoner-esque. The album weaves among influences from chimey, jangling indie rock to atmospheric post-hardcore, sometimes even in the same song (see "Rot" and "Lot Lizard"). Things even get political on "Fear and Greed."

Basically, the guys have a blast playing around with their influences and indulging their deep love of music. There are times when that can feel like a bit of an inside joke; but, for the most part, NGHTCRWLRS' good time is welcoming and inclusive.

Raging Hot is out now on Sniffling Indie Kids.

Belle & Sebastian, If You're Feeling Sinister, Released 11/18/96

This record. Man. I love it so much. Belle & Sebastian are like some amazing combination of Donovan and The Smiths for me; and their second album, If You're Feeling Sinister, finds them at their absolute peak. It came out 20 years ago today.

The original studio version of the album is almost inaudibly quiet; and the band tried to remedy that with a 2005, live, initially iTunes-only recording captured at London's Barbican Arts Center. I find myself listening to that version more frequently nowadays. If You're Feeling Sinister: Live at The Barbican is available just about everywhere now, I think.

"The Stars of Track and Field," "Like Dylan in the Movies," "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying," "Judy and the Dream of Horses," and the title track are masterpieces of twee pop. "Judy and the Dream of Horses" was, for a long time, CoolDaughter #1's favorite song of all-time. She hasn't requested it in a while; but maybe I'll remind her of it to mark today's anniversary.

I'm not going to go into a review here other than to say that if you love The Beatles or The Smiths or just beautifully-crafted pop, if you've ever had awkward feelings about religion or sex or your place in modern society, then give this a listen. It's really one of the greatest in the annals of indie pop.

New Lyric Video from Asbury Park's Rick Barry. Curses, Maledictions and Harsh Reiterations Out Today. Release Show 10/22 at Asbury Hall.

"Where Do the Seasons Get Their Names?"

Rick Barry released his second full-length album today. Curses, Maledictions and Harsh Reiterations has been a long time coming, and Barry recruited a talented group of individuals to help him bring this labor of love to life. Produced by David Spelman, founder and artistic director of the New York Guitar Festival, the album also includes appearances from 3-time Grammy winner and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, jazz cellist Erik Friedlander (Alanis Morisette), upright bassist Chris Kuffner (Ingrid Michaelson), trumpeter C.J. Camerieri (Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens), and backing vocalists Allie Moss and Nicole Atkins.

To coincide with the album's release, Barry gives us a lyric video for "Where Do the Seasons Get Their Names?" Through several EPs since his last full-length record, Barry has shown himself to be a truly great lyricist. His songs are melancholy but approachable while also being dense with meaning.

"Where Do the Seasons Get Their Names?" is vintage Rick Barry in that sense. It's a sad song about the passage of time, about wishing away the days by looking ahead to something better and then wondering where they all went. The quiet guitar, Barry's vocal, the string and horn arrangement; they all draw you into the conversation.

The video by Amanda Duncan is whimsical and incredible. Take a look at it below.



Curses, Maledictions and Harsh Reiterations is out now and available from wherever you like to get your music. Rick Barry celebrates the release tomorrow, October 22nd, at Asbury Hall in the Asbury Hotel with help from Tara Dente and Ian Colletti.

Exclusive Premiere: Rick Barry / Andy Bova SIMGE 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge Contribution

"All Is Well"

For the second straight year, our extended family over at Speak Into My Good Eye held a 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge in which they invited artists to write, record, and submit a new, original song all in the space of a single 24-hour period. Last year's event focused on New Jersey. This year, SIMGE opened things up to New York and Pennsylvania (and beyond) as well.

Things kicked off this past September 11th with a show at Wonder Bar. At the stroke of midnight on September 12th, the clock started. By the time it was all over, SIMGE received nearly 40 submissions. Proceeds from the resulting compilation will benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

SIMGE will be officially releasing the 2015 compilation at their CMJ Showcase. That show takes place on October 15th at Littlefield in Brooklyn and features Mount Sharp, A Deer A Horse, Vivid Dreams, Deal Casino, and Julian Fulton.

You don't have to wait until October 15th to hear a track, though. We've got the premiere of "All Is Well," the contribution from Rick Barry and Andy Bova, right here. The pair have worked together before, both as members of No Wine For Kittens and on some of Barry's solo work.

"All Is Well" is spare and beautiful, featuring, simply, Barry's trademark low-key vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar. As I listen, I get the sense that the title phrase is more of a half-hearted reassurance than a forceful declaration.

Check out "All Is Well" below; and keep your eyes peeled for more info on Rick Barry's upcoming Curses, Maledictions and Harsh Reiterations, slated for an early 2016 release. Also be on the lookout for the Andy Bova-produced follow-up to Dentist's debut.

This year's 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge Compilation will be out on October 15th. Make sure you grab a copy when it's available to support a great cause and a bunch of great artists.

New Releases from Rick Barry, Dentist. SIMGE Starting GoodEye Records.

Busy Day

While I was busy dealing with morning meetings, late morning orthodontist appointments, early dismissals, and 3-hour conference calls today, lots was happening in the world of Asbury Park-based music.

First, Asbury's Rick Barry -- whose work I've really been enjoying since reviewing This Postdiluvian World earlier this year and catching his full-band set, opening for Wesley Stace -- released a single from his forthcoming LP, Curses, Maledictions, and Harsh Reiterations. Barry picked an appropriate day to release "Removing The Stitches," which opens with the line, "Snow is falling calmly from the heavens to the earth" and goes on to describe a cold that's settled over a relationship. Beautiful harmonies come from Allie Moss.

Later in the day, former Rick Barry collaborators in No Wine for Kittens and current CoolDad Music favorite, Dentist, released a track from their own as-yet-untitled debut LP coming this spring. "No

Matter" makes me think of warmer weather as Emily Whitt's airy vocals float over some surf-y guitar riffs, but the two-minute kiss-off is anything but warm and fuzzy.



The band premiered the track via our friends and co-conspirators over at Speak Into My Good Eye who then went ahead and announced that Dentist's debut would also be the debut release for the site's own GoodEye Records.

That's a lot of cool stuff from a lot of cool people on a pretty cold day.

Wesley Stace Played The Saint with Rick Barry and The Sunday Blues, 10/4/13

"We're not here to rock your socks off."

I'm going to start right off by apologizing to The Sunday Blues. CoolMom and I thought we had plenty of time to enjoy dinner with MomVee and her husband, but who knew that Mexican food could take two hours? We got to The Saint just as the alt-country trio were finishing their set. After watching Sunday Blues guitarist Keith McCarthy play in the band that Rick Barry had assembled for the evening (Vocalist Lindsey Miller also joined them for a song.), I'm going to make it a point to catch the band's next local set.

Rick Barry turned in a great set that had CoolMom singing his praises even as we drove home in the car hours later. Also joining Barry onstage were guitarist Justin Bornemann (on acoustic bass) and drummer Andy Bova, both of Dentist. The all-acoustic, full-band set up did a nice job showcasing Barry's brand of indie folk-pop on songs like "Leave It Up To Luck" and "On Our Way Home," along with an excellent cover of The Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out."

Wesley Stace took the stage with his band, The English UK, at about 10:30 and ran through a set heavy on songs from his latest record, Self-Titled, the first released under his given name. As usual, he used the time between songs to interact with the crowd, tell stories -- one about an incredibly strange, post-show interaction with a fan -- and set up his songs. This, coupled with the small setting of The Saint, gave the show an extremely intimate feel.

Self-Titled is a, mostly, "quiet" album compared to the pop-rock records Stace put out, as John Wesley Harding, early in his career. The songs -- especially those he co-wrote with Eleanor Friedberger ("When I Knew," "Stare at the Sun") and "We Will Always Have New York" -- played well in the live setting. Stace did reach back into his -- or John Wesley Harding's -- catalog for "I'm Wrong About Everything" and closed the main set with last year's "Making Love to Bob Dylan." He came back for a one-song encore, performing The Monkees' / Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer."

Despite having to leave for the drive back to Philadelphia, Stace stayed after the show, signing records and speaking with fans. I got a chance to reminisce with him about some of the many John Wesley Harding shows I'd seen over the years. He indulged me and even remembered a few.

Over the last few years, I've only seen Wesley Stace perform in the context of his Cabinet of Wonders variety shows. Those are a lot of fun, but it was also fun to see him perform a headlining set again -- especially one full of material he's obviously excited about.

Here are some photos of the two sets I managed to catch last night.