Selected Press for Barzin
30music.com (USA) (My Life In Rooms)
"The opening track to Barzin's My Life in Rooms, "Let's Go Driving," suggests just that: Driving. Ahhh, the open road, preferably the prairies descending into the Rocky Mountains and Barzin - life doesn't get much better than this. A romanticized track at its core, "Let's Go Driving" preps the listener for a nine-song reflectively melancholic venture.
Comparatively speaking, Barzin cozy up to the somber sounds of '90s mood rockers Spain and the ambivalent direction of Low while maintaining a desperation all their own. The play very slow, very delicate, and very fruitfully. A belly full of instrumentation consumes the sound as Mike Findlay whispers stories about leaving, finding more drugs, and his life in rooms.
The abstract simplicity in which Barzin create their diligent sadcore is a reputable - not to mention rewarding - feature. Sure, there are quite a few other bands creating similar sounding records, but there is something in Barzin's subtleties that helps set them part. Consistency is crucial throughout My Life in Rooms as Barzin never over exude nor over complicate the matter of their subjects. They play with a tender ease and a stark passion. Do not increase the beats per minute, please.
Let this record act as your late-night soundtrack, while driving or otherwise. Take an extremely deep breath, press play, and allow Barzin to do the rest. Let them take you away. You'll appreciate where you end up."
The Wichita CityPaper (USA) (My Life In Rooms)
"Pretty chamber country-esque tunes from a Canadian outfit that holds in its ranks Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers). While the half-whispered vocals might detract some from listening with abandon and while some might argue that the somnolent movement of tracks such as "Leaving Time" and "Just More Drugs" is painfully slow, there's something to be said for enjoying the silence and understated beauty of Barzin. With enough pedal steel and vibraphone to perk up your ears on a consistent basis, My Life in Rooms is a tender aural novel, a nearly epic aural poem that resonates deeply with the listener long after the final note has ended its travels on the bright and brilliant sound spectrum. (4/5)"
Jive Magazine (USA) (My Life In Rooms)
"Interview of Barzin can be found here: http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=5873"
Bricolage Fantasy (France) (My Life In Rooms)
"Very pretty slowcore album. Barzin's brand of slowcore sounds like familiar blues rock and alt.country, but the songs are so well executed it is memorable. Thinks of Barzin as Arab Strap meets Red House Painter. It radiates warmth without overstretching. Somebody is going to use Barzin's songs for an art house movie for sure."
Keenly observed (USA) (My Life In Rooms)
""Okay, just a little pinprick," sighs one-named wonder Barzin in a nod to Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." "Maybe what I need is just more drugs." It sounds like he has plenty; this Canadian songwriter's hazy take on lo-fi, midtempo introspection is perfect for winter hibernating and drifting into oblivion.
This soft and intricate record shares an organic bent with the likes of Iron and Wine and M. Ward, its murmured, mournful numbers crafted as if straight from the bottom of the ocean. Warmed with lap and pedal steel and graced with the music-box prettiness of vibraphone, these shy songs inch their way onto a plane of suspended reality. Barzin caresses the music with the gentlest of voices. Never breaking character, he delivers each vocal in an austere, droopy manner that suggests perpetual loneliness ("So Much Time To Call My Own" is a standout). These are sad waltzes and losers' lullabies - nurturing music that lets you get beautifully lost." - Amanda Langston
Unpeeled (My Life In Rooms)
"Thoughtful and predominantly melancholy mixture of mood pieces and gorgeous graveyard alt-country pop. The vocals are understated, whispered, the strings bank in luxurious piles or decorate artfully with light, slight touches and the guitars are uniformly excellent, pedal steels yawing like violins, acoustics barely brushed, slide guitars, hmmm. Best of bunch here is Wont You Come that reminds strangely, but strongly of Lennons #9 Dream and obviously thats reason enough to check this set out."
Boomkat (My Life In Rooms)
"Coming across like a ghostly Calexico jamming with Radiohead, Barzin up their game for second album 'My Life in Rooms'. Verging on, but not quite Americana, this excellent album is liberally drenched in slide guitar and slowcore drums, with opening track 'Let's Go Driving' sounding remarkably like Radiohead's 'Nice Dream', a dreamy haze of track that perfectly sets the mood for whats to follow. Recommended."
The Sun (My Life In Rooms)
(4/5)
"Canadian singer Barzin likes to take things real slow. His moody sound washes probably make him the polar musical opposite of The Ramones. There's much to admire, however, as he fuses spacey acoustica with sophisticated effects. As the title suggests, he probably ought to get out more... but this is a soothing triumph."
Tasty Fanzine (My Life In Rooms)
"Second release for Canadians Barzin, first on London based label Monotreme, and what a delight it is. This is a masterpiece in slow, melodic melancholy, occupying similar territories to the early work of the 'Red House Painters' and original slow core luminaries 'Low'. Assured and confident song writing complement its languid mood and the only disappointment arrives when it ends. Highly recommended."
Americana UK (My Life In Rooms)
"Canadian slow- core entrepreneur's create wide ambient sound scapes to set songs for second album to....
Originally a solo project in the mid 90's, the concept of Barzin has evolved in the last decade, or so, and developed into more of a collective for My Life in Windows, their second and most fully realised album to date.
In spite of the additional input, these songs remain deeply personal and exclusive to their author. 'My Life in Rooms', 'Lets Go Driving' and 'So Much Time to Call My Own' almost feels like an invasion of privacy to sit and listen to them.
'Here is the one thing I've followed; here is my life, my life in rooms Taking notes for myself of all the things to not become' (Lets Go Driving)
Sonically, the tracks are draped in an aching pedal steel with keyboards and vibraphone to only slightly augment the sparse arrangements. When drums are employed, it tends to be a slow pulsing metronome, electronically treated that could easily be mistaken for a drum machine. Barzin's voice, barely registering above a whisper has more than a passing resemblance to Mark Linkous, in fact, the analogy can be taken as far as to say that Barzin will appeal to anyone who likes Sparklehorse, period. Like there reference points, Barzin have delivered an album of strong songs lyrically with deceptively intricate arrangements; a band that is felt, not heard.
'All your poems and words they have left you now' (Leaving Time)
Well, mercifully they were recorded and have found their way out into the wider world. A great late night, red wine and weed album ... I would imagine." (PG)
Organ Magazine - UK (My Life In Rooms)
"Warm mellow cleansing slowcore alt.country flavoured washes that stop your day and refresh your soul. Melancholic warmth of a delicate Tindersticks/Sparklehorse nature, music that takes off your boots, slows your pulse and eases your mind with those brushed drums and twinkling keys and French horns and velvet strings and lingering vibraphones and just cleansing and just right..."
New Noise (My Life In Rooms)
"It's got to be the Canadian weather that inspires songwriters to compose somber elegies such as the ones that the singularly named Barzin wrote for his second record, 'My Life In Rooms.'
As a follow up to Barzin's self-titled 2003 debut, 'My Life in Rooms' is a dream for those who revel in sad and depressing slowcore music by artists such as the Tindersticks and Mojave 3. Barzin employed the talents of Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers) and Suzanne Hancock, two longtime collaborators, to assist in the performing and recording of the elegant 9-song record that recalls the work Ð both musically and lyrically - of fellow Canuck, Leonard Cohen
While the description of "somber elegies" brings to mind funeral music, Barzin incorporates enough aspects of chamber pop (vibraphone, French Horn, piano) and Americana-style music (pedal steel guitar) to save the listener from drifting off into a suicidal state though you certainly wouldn't want to pop a mouthful of downers before experiencing this record for the first time.
Comparatively speaking, Barzin could be considered a comfortable counterpart to Mazzy Star, his song 'So Much Time to Call My Own' nicks it's melody line from 'Fade Into You' though heads in a different direction when it hits what could be called the chorus. The singers heavy signs and audible whispers on this song, as well as the rest, lend to the general malaise of one of the most oddly soothing releases in this young new year.
You wouldn't think that an album that was written under a gray cloud would be so captivating and yet Barzin's subtle approach begs listeners to crawl into his world, a world where maybe all he needs to make it through the day is drugs, as he sings on the track 'Just More Drugs'.
'My Life In Rooms' was recorded over a two year period in locations ranging from a Southern Ontario farm to a New York City studio to somebody's basement but the wide breadth of recording locations is not noticeable as the songs flow in and out of each other at the same speed and tone - slow as a turtle and quiet as a sleeping newborn baby.
Cherish this record for what it's worth - a confessional tome written by a musician who doesn't see too many sunny afternoons and who retreats to dark and quiet corners in a coffee shop whenever the opportunity arises."
Warpmart Newsletter - Warp Records (My Life In Rooms)
"From 65daysofstatic's label comes this woozy slomo album of dusty post rock/ new folk sort of stuff. With lots of slide steel guitar, vibraphone and gently whispered vocals, collaborations with famous friends and electronica accompanments, it's all very pretty, full of grace and space with gentle vocals like 'low' on prozac and enthusiasm."
Now Toronto (My Life In Rooms)
Critic's Pick (NNNN)
"Slow, sad and haunting are the songs on Barzin's latest opus about the possibility of achieving a meaningful life that's dedicated to the arts. That he never comes to a concrete conclusion hardly matters when the music is as affecting as this. Lush, dreamy arrangements flourish alongside Barzin Hosseini's whispered vocals, never threatening to overpower them, just adding to the dramatic atmosphere. With Tony Dekker of Great Lake Swimmers and Suzanne Hancock in the fold, My Life In Rooms is a grand statement indeed, a soul-searching exercise in melancholic minimalism that offers new findings with every listen. Think Sparklehorse minus the heroin and Tindersticks minus the accent and you'll have an idea of where Barzin is coming from, but you'll need to experience My Life In Rooms first-hand to know where he's heading. A must."
iheartmusic.com (My Life In Rooms)
"Featuring such sad bastard staples as Tony Dekker (of Great Lake Swimmers notoriety) and Karen Graves (arranger for Hayden), Barzin's latest release, My Life In Rooms, is a slow, languorous journey. Formed originally in 1995 as a solo project, Barzin has since hopped aboard the collaborative bandwagon. A fortuitous development, as manifested by the rich texture of their latest musical endeavour. In keeping with its late-winter release date, the album listens like a retrospective of the past few months: the sound is bleak and epic. The songs develop almost formulaically, but the formula works pretty well. Alternatingly alienating and soothing, the album draws us off the cold streets into the warmth of its eponymous rooms.
My Life in Rooms is a somewhat melancholy exploration of the relationship between life and art. In "Let's Go Driving," the album's first track, a drive "away" (from life? From bleak city streets?) is proposed; the theme of traveling is developed in "So Much Time to Call My Own". Here, the experience of capturing lived experience in art is both vocally and sonorically present, with the lyrics enhanced by sweeping guitars and horns.
"Leaving Time" is yet another existential foray into the interplay between artistic and physical space. This is not to say that Barzin is utterly mired in a philosophical quagmire. At times bitingly ironic, he comically wonders in "Just More Drugs" whether "maybe what I need is just more drugs?" (Note: if he's talking sedatives, my answer would be a resounding "No!").
My Life In Rooms is a consistent album, featuring gentle instrumentation and softly-crooned melodic ponderings on pretty much every track. The album occurs at an evidently inchoate stage in Barzin's musical development, but is nonetheless full of promise; his quest -- and that of his fans -- for musico-spiritual enlightenment is just beginning."
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