Las Vegas folk artist Val Barin plays live, 2012

Las Vegas’ very own Val Barin has been working the folk/acoustic circuit for quite some time, and we here at Exquisite Noise are pleased to announce the release of his latest album, Purse Of Old Crows.  His smooth yet husky vocal delivery, ringing atop some clear, bright guitar picking, are what initially draw you in, while great lyrics and an ear for melody will keep the listener sticking around for repeated spins. He manages to shake up the conventions of the genre with some clever touches, too, such as the haunting keyboards of Passer, while on Cold Advice, what you might call marching band horns play a funereal dirge behind him. Playful electronic twinges light up the cleverly titled Good In Red, while Senor Wences takes us on another detour, this one in the form of a storytelling epic, and when we arrive at the brilliant, unexpected Interspecies Cover Charge, we are confronted by the unnameable, possibly a new subcategory of music – one I might be tempted to title Martian Garage Rock.

All told, this is a well crafted, surprisingly tuneful and varied release. Give it a listen here http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=val+barin and let us know what you think!