Empire Moon by Barry Thomas Goldberg

ironweeds.com

Album Description:

BARRY THOMAS GOLDBERG, singer/songwriter, has released his new album "EMPIRE MOON" (HIJ Recordings). This is Goldberg's fourth solo album. Goldberg calls "EMPIRE MOON" "a post-modern folk album and I hope it is thought provoking and timely". Goldberg co-produced with long-time collaborator, Gary Paulak.

About the Artist:

Barry Thomas Goldberg began his career writing songs for many local Minneapolis bands. Several of these artists had regional hits, the best known was "Twenty Years Ago in Speedy's Kitchen" by T.C. Atlantic. Goldberg's own band, The Shambles had a single out with ATCO Records in 1968 called "Lights of Rome". In the 70's he played with The Batch and Barry Goldberg & Hwy 52. In 1974 Goldberg put out his first solo ablum called "Misty Flats", a collection of acoustic songs produced by Michael Yonkers. After playing with The Batch and Barry Goldberg & Hwy 52 he put out his second album in 1980 titled "When The Night Comes", recorded in New York City, produced by Cliff Davies and Ric Browde. After a disappointing third album, Absolute Zero" Goldberg moved to Los Angeles where be began writing screenplays. He moved back to Minneapolis in the 90's and began playing with The Ironweeds. They recorded the seldom heard album "Dr. Wormwood's Monkey Theatre". In 1999 The Ironweeds went on hiatus. Over the next two years Goldberg wrote and acted in two independent movies. He began recording "EMPIRE MOON" in May, 2002.

Comments:

"Masterfull and gritty.....his prose is eerily haunting....wonderous poetry on display....simultaneously channels the wheezy street name-dropping and world-weary storytelling of Bob Dylan and Tom Waits"

Nathan Hall, Lost Cause

"Using the cold streets and unfortunate, yet interesting, derelicts of Minneapolis as his subject and setting, Goldberg's fourth album-his first in more than 16 years- is a collection of well-crafted music guided by insightful lyrics...This dark folk appeal continues throughout the course of this project. "The Ballad of John Berryman" reminds the listener of late '70's Dylan, and "Washington Avenue", the closer, closely resembles Woody Guthrie. Goldberg recites the broken dreams of no charge hookers, drunks and smack addicts-all the while presenting such a soothing quality that its content could just as well be about bluebirds and sunflowers. The finest parts of Empire Moon, however, are the selections in which Goldberg turns it up and kicks ass like a misunderstood grade-schooler, "Don't Target Me, "Dangerous World" and "Redemption"......His finest moments come on "Antartica" and "You're Killing Me"....If his most recent album, Empire Moon is any indication of his talent, Goldberg writes pretty damn good music....It may not be a fast process, but page by page, and note by note, he will get it done. It took him sixteen years this time and, truth be told, there are far worse Dylan, Cash and Neil Young albums to be bought."

Timothy Fisher, Ripsaw News

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