Track Premiere: James Barrett – “Oh My God”
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James Barrett writes dramatic narratives that wind through wide arrays of ebbs and flows, and that dynamic is no better explored than in his new song, “Oh My God,” featuring fellow Scranton, PA solo artist, Sweetnest. Starting soft and subtle, the track launches off a minute in with warm rhythm tones and driven leads that follow the hook Barrett sets up in the first verse. There’s a beautiful message of taking the positive parts of a failed relationship or a missed goal and recognizing how it’s made you a better person, and that it’s not always up to only you to continue the fight: “I’m tired of being angry with the birds and the heat, and I’m tired of being angry with the person you came to be. I can’t ask you to relive something for me.”
James Barrett has been slowly releasing his music for the past five years, but really crafted something special with last October’s full length through Honest Face Records, The Price of Comfort. With a spectacular ability to establish sonic continuity among the album’s eleven tracks, he applies a dual perspective of introspection with consideration for the world-at-large. While TPoC addresses the nuances of every person’s varied grieving processes, his new work has taken a full turn into the personal scape and it hits justs as heavily as before, if not more so. The arena-quality, full band additions have elevated Barrett’s ability to produce meaningful songs to a level that can also absolutely rock in the process.
Barrett says of the song, “‘Oh My God’ is essentially about knowing a relationship has reached its demise and though you can’t seem to understand why you realize it is totally out of your control. I had just returned home from a very confusing and emotional trip that I knew would be the last days I’d spend with my partner before they moved away. I felt so disoriented and out of touch with a world that was full of life around me. After writing the song I instantly knew that I wanted my friend’s voice with me on the track. I reached out to Amanda (Sweetnest) to be a part of this song, and her role immediately made it all the more special to me. I also had some help from my friend Billy Gerrity who tracked the drums in his studio in Los Angeles and sent them to Jake Checkoway in Massachusetts. Working with my friends made this song feel complete. I like to believe it ends with some sense of hope.”
Check out “Oh My God” below, and make sure you give his fantastic LP, The Price of Comfort, a listen after you get hooked on this song!
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Luciano Ferrara | @LucianoRFerrara
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