Barwick, John Guy: Coastal Chase

Perhaps you know the name Jon Dawson if you have read previous reviews of Third Of Never and Electric Forgiveness. Here we have Dawson helping out musician friend John Guy Barwick, on his debut EP titled Coastal Chase.

The players:
John Guy Barwick (vocals, guitars, keyboards)
Alex Cox (bass and electric guitars)
Jon Dawson (electric and acoustic guitars)
Tony Stiglitz (drums on tracks 1,3 and 4)
Jason Umbarger (drums on tracks 2 and 5)

The music is in the singer-songwriter mold with hints of quirkiness, which further adds to the sophisticated nature of these five tracks. Every song is guitar driven and the hooks are plentiful, allowing each track to stay in your head. The lead vocals are also pleasing making it a very easy listen. The title track has an eclectic edge with its dramatic rhythms and superb guitar work. The sound is clean and the main melody is a real head sticker. “In the Meantime� features another earworm with its silky groove and refined arrangement. Liquid-like bass and a funky edge give “Fever!� a little more bite and with the poignant “December 26th� Barwick adds a nice Christmas tune to your playlist. “The Let Down� has a classic singer-songwriter retro ‘70s vibe, a fine end to a what is a very good album.

There are no tricks here, just five solid pop rock tunes, well played, well sung, with excellent melodies all around. Recommended.

Track Listing:
1. Coastal Chase (4:19)
2. In the Meantime (3:32)
3. Fever! (4:21)
4. December 26th (3:47)
5. The Let Down (3:40)

Added: December 31st 2025
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist @ Bandcamp
Hits: 31
Language: english

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