When we last encountered this Sacramento (California) singer/songwriter, he was fronting The Bevis Frond on "King of Missouri," part two of which appears here. His ninth album again features quirky-yet-catchy power pop tunes, with memorable yet off-kilter hooks. "Grapes on a Plate" is a poppy Gang of Four, "Telephones and Singalongs" is warped psychedelia like Dipsomaniacs covering The Lucky Bishops, and "You Look Good In Yellow" (obvious Blondie references aside) and "Mahjong Dijon" are the best impersonations of John "He's Gonna Step On You Again" Kongos I've ever heard.
However, it's the Bonzos that will spring to mind most often as you get deeper into Barbeau's silly love songs. He has the same skewered sense of humour (and melody) as Neil Innes and the hilarious "It Won't Be Long Till The Banjo Patrol Comes Along" (as it's title suggests) sounds like a Bonzo Kongos outtake from Gorilla: imagine Kongos covering "Urban Spaceman!" With titles like "The Prince of Chairs Has the Happiest Dream in the Universe," "Mahjong Dijon" and "Chinese Boots of Spanish Leather," it's obvious Barbeau's tongue is firmly planted in Innes' and Stanshall's collective cheeks.
Occasionally, he's at a loss for words ("Stewart Mason" is little more than the title repeated ad infinitum and "Ruth From Leeds" spends half it's length explaining who the mysterious Marshall Froom is), but then he treats us to the cross-dressing shenanigans of the paeon to his hometown, "I'm Just A Country Girl" and all is forgiven. It's as wacky and wonderful as any of Jonathan Richmond's odes to Boston.
Elsewhere, Barbeau's recent visits to England have brought back a myriad of influences, from Roy Harper ("Keep My Face Clean") to Robyn Hitchcock ("The Prince of Chairs Has The Happiest Dream in the Universe" - and if that's not a Hitchcock title, I don't know what is!). A lot of the obviously jovial atmosphere in the recording studio trickles through your speakers and I can imagine that Barbeau puts on a killer live show. Check him out when he comes to your town. Until then, pick up Guladong to whet your appetite.
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