David Barbe - 10th Of Seas (2017)

2017 release, David Barbe's third solo album, and first new album in seven years. Barbe has been referred to as having the most widespread influence of any single person in the Athens, GA music scene due to his involvement with so many different artists and projects over the years, from his start playing with noise damaged groups like Mercyland, Bar-B-Q Killers, and Buzz Hungry in the 1980s and '90's; to his stint as bassist in Sugar (Bob Mould's legendary post-Husker Du band), with whom he toured the globe many times and released 3 classic records; to his work as an engineer/producer on hundreds of albums. 10th of Seas marks a departure for Barbe in that he performed and recorded the entire thing by himself, playing all the instruments completely solo. Everything. Highlights include "Portugese Door," slippery and melodically complex, and the opening burst of "Dim Bulbs," the lyrics of which contain the album's title. "10th of Seas" is a reference to exploring the outer reaches of one's mind. Barbe says, "The phrase 'sailing the seven seas' did not mean just crossing the known bodies of water, but to go around the world and back. To sail across the 10th of Seas would indicate traversing through the unknown, to have seen it all, and then some."