Lincoln Barr (vocals/guitar) Ryan Chapman (bass/vocals) Patrick Porter (pedal steel/guitar/vocals) Andy Salzman (drums/vocals)
Influences
The Beatles, The Kinks, Big Star, Daniel Lanois, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, Wilco, Roy Orbison, The Zombies/Colin Blunstone, Elliott Smith, Sparklehorse, Stax/Hi/Muscle Shoals soul, Scott Walker, Sanford Arms, John Cale, Pink Floyd, The Smiths, Scott McCaughey, David Bowie, Marc Olsen, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Band, Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, The Soft Boys/Robyn Hitchcock, Lee Hazlewood, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Ingmar Bergman, Centro-matic/South San Gabriel, the Pernice Brothers, Gram Parsons, the Twilight Singers, Spiritualized, Nick Cave, The Beach Boys, Mississippi John Hurt, Low, Grant-Lee Phillips
Led by singer/songwriter Lincoln Barr, Red Jacket Mine has spent the last two years perfecting its singular brand of twilit pop—equal parts soaring psychedelia, spectral Americana, and string-laden chamber rock.
Begun as a solo four-track project to satiate an overactive mind trapped in the barren hill country of southeast Missouri, arrangements have grown more ambitious and tape hiss levels have mercifully fallen, but Barr's vivid lyrical imagery and melodic songcraft have remained constant. Joined in Seattle by fellow Missouri transplant Andy Salzman (drums), Seattle rock veteran Patrick Porter (guitar/pedal steel), and Idahoan jungle cat Ryan Chapman (bass), Barr's dreams of Red Jacket Mine-as-real-band finally became reality, and the band set about honing its craft in a series of increasingly high-profile club gigs while Barr penned the songs that would comprise their debut studio album.
Recorded at Seattle's Studio Litho by producer/engineer Shawn Simmons, Hello, Old Cloud delivers on the promise of Red Jacket Mine's early recordings and impassioned live performances. Featuring an impressive array of guest musicians, including upright bassist Keith Lowe (Bill Frisell, Fiona Apple), keyboard whiz Paul Hiraga (Downpilot, Ian Moore), and renowned string arranger Eyvind Kang (Blonde Redhead, Laura Veirs), the album was released in April 2008.
The band is currently working on a follow-up with producer/contributor Ken Stringfellow (The Posies/R.E.M./Big Star).
"Hello, Old Cloud reveals how much Barr has grown as a songwriter in the last five years…I am confident that Red Jacket Mine are just getting started."
--- Hugh Miller, Unfinished web zine, May 19, 2008
"Hello, Old Cloud drifts along languidly, buoyed by Barr’s slightly fragile voice and intelligent lyrics. Like spiked lemonade, it’s refreshing and intoxicating."
--- Barbara Mitchell, Portland Tribune, March 14, 2008
"...on the cusp of releasing debut album Hello, Old Cloud, [Red Jacket Mine's] confident alt-country orchestrations sound like they've been around for much longer, as do songwriter Lincoln Barr's mature lyrics and smooth delivery."
--- Seattle Metropolitan magazine, January 2008
"Delicate, but not precious...[Starboard] showcases Barr's nimble, low-key guitar playing and hushed vocals...recalls a young Scott McCaughey...a very fine thing for a newcomer."
--- Kurt B. Reighley, The Stranger, June 21, 2006
I had an awesome time. Trout fishing is kind of hard, but managed to devour a couple. We already made reservation to go back next year. Camping in a cabin is my kind of camping. Talk soon.
Excellent show saturday! I heart chopperfest. I was the tipsy girl holding up the post by the bar. Good times! Hey- why didn't you guys take off your shirts? It's always the people you DON'T want to see naked who are always stripping at concerts, dang it! I still had a blast, and thank you for being so talented!
Thanks, junior. I thought I'd school ya on some tunes. I know that your musical vocab is limited mostly to French Canadian folk novelty songs and 11th century Slavic dirges. Anything to help the underprivleged. Rock forth, son.
Gracias, amigo, for the Spanish wine enlightenment. It's given many evenings of enjoyment.
"Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing." -Ernest Hemingway from 'Death in the Afternoon'
I've been going though some rough waters, lincoln. My father had a stroke three weeks ago and he is recovering. :( As far as everything else, I'm buzy working on some new artwork for a art show. I'll write you a postcard this week. Take care lincoln! Thomas
I was talking about your stuff. Your stuff was sounding good. I don't think that I'd listened recently to your offerings. I'm still way off. Don't tell nobody.