Lou Barlow – Reason To Live
Joyful Noise – 28 May 2021
Lou Barlow is finally getting comfortable in his own skin, resulting in Reason to Live, his first solo album in six years. In ways, this is a new beginning for Barlow, six years ago he and his family moved away from California (a place they loved), back to the old surroundings of Massachusetts. And while he’s comfortable in the familiar environment, domesticity isn’t necessarily at the top of his list of virtues, although change is possible as evidenced by his return to Dinosaur Jr. in 2005, 17 years after being thrown out of the band.
Comprising 17 songs in 45 minutes, Reason to Live is a thesis in what it means to be Lou Barlow at the age of 54. Largely acoustic and almost exclusively Barlow, this is a kinder, gentler soul. At a time when so many of his contemporaries have looked at the world with pointed questions, he delivers a more optimistic treatise than one might expect.
Opening on sounds of a tape player being turned on in mid-tune, “In My Arms Again” features backward guitar amidst a wash of acoustics. It comforts with the notion of coming back to something that, despite the vicissitudes of time, won’t go away. This is a wiser, more aware man reconciled to the life he is living. While he may not be living a life of domestic bliss, he seems to be pretty close.
There’s an audible buzz to the 1:29 of “How Do I Know,” which shows just how much Barlow is able to pack into the briefest of songs. He knows better than to let a song overstay its welcome. Despite the sweet sound, “All You People Suck” shows that there is still more than a little bit of bile left in Barlow. “All you people lost/ And the light that draws you in/ Be it torch or burning cross/ Your beginning and your end.” We are all connected and if that’s not something you see, then you are on a ramble through self-obsession, blinded by a sense of misdirected hatred.
Marching to the album’s conclusion, “Act of Faith” examines the moments that change what is in our hearts. Propulsive chords establish a marching beat, while a second guitar brightens the proceedings. When Barlow closes the song, signing “Dead men can’t hold you/ or understand your dreams/ I can” you realize that he’s putting everything on the line. It’s a moment of truth, that awaits a response, but that’s for a different album and time.
This is a new moment for Lou Barlow, one where he sees things more clearly. Growing up and growing older he has begun to appreciate what he has, yet he’s not afraid to take aim at those things that still bother him. He’ll never be a troubadour with a guitar, that’s not his style. He enjoys being able to poke and prod at the underbelly, taking his shots when necessary. But in the present moment, he is able to look at the world around him and still see that there is good to be found if we know where to look. Reason to Live is Barlow’s call to look around and find the inspiration to keep going.
Reason To Live is released this Friday 28th May. Pre-Order via Bandcamp: https://loubarlow.bandcamp.com/
Photo credit: Adelle Barlow