Canadian Americana duo Kirby Green and David Barber, the GB Roots band, have just released their second album Tumbleweed (produced by Mitch Merritt) and it’ll have your mind rolling along in imagery of the old wild west that extended right up the Canadian coastline.
Both artists have been nominees for Canadian JUNO awards, and Green has won bass player of the year for three consecutive years at the British Columbia Country Music Awards. Barber has been nominated for Canadian Country Music Awards and British Columbia Country Music Awards. In addition, that’s Barber’s banjo you hear on the quadruple platinum “Two Heads” by Coleman Hell; while Kirby has played with The High Bar Gang.
The title track “Tumbleweed” comes on like a blend of ZZ Top bass and banjo country rock. Green’s vocals are pure country twang and Barber’s banjo is a steady treat. “Better Get Your Gun,” features Barber’s hushed sinister vocals opening, followed by dueling vocals that send chills down our spines while they are “running off the rails trying to find myself some time.”
“Show Me Grace” is a haunting ballad that really highlights Green’s vocals with lots of punctuated emotional space in between: “I strayed but you always helped me home.” “Halfway” continues the wild western, ominous, high lonesome imagery as they’re “halfway between dead and alive.” “Pale Rider” continues the western theme by evoking haunted chase imagery over catchy guitar and rhythms.
It’s well worth investigating GB Roots for yourself. Get your copy here.
