Carry Us On

iTunes Review

Energetic and loose, this New England-based quintet blends various influences to create a style all their own. Led by Will Evans’ rich, soulful vocals the band’s arrangements incorporate catchy hooks and dynamic tempo shifts while giving the music room to breathe. “Roll If You Fall” and “The Ocean” get the crowd on its feet with infectious sing-along choruses and headlong momentum, and mid-tempo gems “Misled” and “Drink to You” carry an emotional weight that adds to their impact. The band reveals its range with “Reach” and “Changes in the Weather,” a pair of moving ballads featuring swelling strings that intertwine with the melodies. Sax and trumpet add grit and texture to the piano showcase “Hesitation” and the reggae-inflected “Eagle Front,” while “Rope” is solid roots rock buoyed by Weissenborn slide and bluesy harmonica bends. The song here that perhaps best illustrates Barefoot Truth’s diversity is “Solitude.” Starting with a searing guitar riff that digs in and holds on, the band lays down a bedrock of thick organ, dexterous drumming, and an agile bass line before leading to a fiery harmonica solo and some jazz-tinged keyboards.