Let It Hiss is more than the title of The Barr Brothers latest LP, it redefines who they are and what they believe. It is a battle cry, a shot that shatters the illusion of perfection. Let It Hiss is about honesty, a reflection on what it means to be alive, unafraid of the consequences. In the eight years since Brad and Andrew Barr made their last long player, they made a conscious decision to not to cover over the cracks and admit to the mistakes, both personal and professional. That simple act of leaving in the imperfections made all the difference.
The songs are a bit unruly. ‘Let It Hiss’ is all bass and drums, cranked to the nth degree, while the guitar and keyboards are so low in the mix at times it seems as if they aren’t there at all. It’s an unruly fusion, that works perfectly, muddling your expectations. The ringing guitars with drums punching away fuels ‘She Doesn’t Sleep with the Covers On’. It’s a blast in the wilderness that might seem out of place in some collections, but the only guiding principal for the Barr’s is a couple of chords and the truth.
The sound of tape sliding into gear on ‘English Harbour’ cleverly reflects their bias toward imperfection, without belying the simplicity of this ballad. Combining understated percussion with Brad Barr’s guitar work, swelling strings fill the sonic pathways. Backed by the vocals of My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and Arc Iris’ Jocie Adams, the song’s central message could not be clearer, “You can hang it on the wall/ you can lock it up/ It’s a picture of us all/ What we won’t give up.” Memory and resilience exist in equal measure, the Brothers understand what there is to lose and what can be gained.
Tracks unfold, gaining speed and depth, dancing into aural pathways. ‘Run Right Into It’ steadily builds, buzzing with energy fueled by change and a message of renewal. Joined on the chorus by Elizabeth Powell, they sing, “I don’t know why I was running that day/ Maybe I was afraid of feeling that way/ And I’m on the run/ Ever since I did say/ I don’t want to be that way.” Dealing with life head on becomes the only option as the guitar begins to blaze. The sense of release in the song is palpable.
Nothing even begins to prepare you for ‘Upsetter’, the final track. Combining elements of 60s rock with overamped punk guitars and a guitar solo that is so far out on the edge calling it berserk doesn’t even begin to cover it. The Barr Brothers take chances because they have no other option. Playing it safe is for suckers. Living life on the knife’s edge, Let It Hiss takes chances because that’s the only choice they have.