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LOOK & LISTEN: Thinking, playing outside of a genre Print E-mail
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Matt Barker says his acoustic rock isn’t easily categorized. [Courtesy photo]

HE IS: Matt Barker

HIS SOUND: He's often compared to Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson, but the 31-year-old Scottish-born Barker says his brand of guitar-driven acoustic rock is more complex than that. “I have a problem categorizing myself,” he said. His songs have shades of funk inspired by G-Love and tongue-in-cheek lyrics inspired by the Beastie Boys, and the tracks he produces himself contain experimental samples inspired by Beck.
 
THE WEB: myspace.com/mattbarkertunes
 
THE BACKGROUND: Barker moved to San Antonio about five years ago and helped found Dog Men Poets; he struck out on his own about a year and a half ago.
 

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WHERE TO SEE HIM: Barker will perform with a full band at 10 p.m. March 28 at Tonic and at 6 p.m. March 29 at Chango's Havana Club. He plays solo sets at Taco Garage at 6 p.m. Fridays, and in April he will begin playing solo sets at Alibis at 8 p.m. Thursdays.
 
ALBUMS: Wanderlust (2007)
 
THE 210 TAKE: Although he enjoys performing live and producing music in his home studio, Barker considers himself first and foremost a songwriter, and it's in his songwriting that he truly excels. Wanderlust is a good introduction to Barker's work; the title refers to both literally traveling — he's done a lot of it — and metaphorical traveling through life. “It's a personal album, but I keep my lyrics vague enough so people can relate to them,” he said.

The songs range in subject matter from the anticipation of his first child, six-month-old daughter Eilidh (“Greatest Song”) to the deaths of friends (“Celebration” and “Writers Block”) to his wife (“Song for You” and “Architect”).
Standouts on the album include “Writers Block,” which has a pleasing momentum; the fun, mellow “Take It Easy (Life's A Gas)”; and the romantic “Places Out There.”


Jessica Belasco | 210SA contributor
 
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