Barnstorm Songs Ranked
Barnstorm is the debut studio album by the American band Barnstorm, which was formed by guitarist Joe Walsh after he left the James Gang. The album was released in October 1972 on the labels ABC and Dunhill. It was the first album to be recorded at Caribou Ranch in Colorado. With this album, Walsh moved away from the hard rock sound of the James Gang, with Barnstorm exploring a more folk-based, acoustic sound, influenced by such artists as James Taylor and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. At the time of its release, Barnstorm was only moderately successful. For many years, the only CD version available was an expensive Japanese import. Nonetheless, the album became a cult classic among Walsh fans. It was later reissued in the U.S. on CD by Hip-O Select/Geffen Records in January 2006. Here are all of Barnstorm songs ranked.
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10. Here We Go
“There are some truly beautiful mixtures of electric and acoustic textures I haven’t heard anywhere else; “Here We Go” starts slow and soft with acoustic guitars, but picks up power and rocks to the end”
9. One and One
“One and One” has one extremely sad (and short) set of vocals with lyrics about mom and dad. It’s really amazing, this one. There are many moments of beauty on Barnstorm, but I don’t believe I have ever heard such moving song about family as “One and One”.
8. Mother Says
“I guess my least favorite song is “Mother Says” since the verse melody is catchy, but somewhat generic too. Actually it sounds similar to the verse melody from “Life’s Been Good” but this is a better song due to the grand nature of the dramatic piano portion along with the eventual guitar solo.”
See more: Joe Walsh Albums Ranked
7. Home
“Home” has a steady rhythm and vocals, and I really admire the inspirational way Joe sings the word “Home” during the chorus because it radically changes the tone of the song into a more beautiful one.”
6. Turn to Stone
“It’s actually a difficult album to categorise, but is much looser in feel than the ‘Smoker You Drink’ LP form the following year. It’s almost Country Rock, but with some jazy symphonic instrumental passages and the raw ‘Turn to Stone’ which sits rather uneasily on the album and is given much better treatment on the ‘So What’ LP.”
5. Comin’ Down
“t’s another love song, which evokes the notion of the past as a way of creating a hopeful present. And it just whispers to a close, leaving the listener literally stunned at what has just transpired in the space of 35 minutes.”
See more: Joe Walsh Songs Ranked
4. I’ll Tell the World About You
“Just trust me here- this timeless album is one of the secret ‘great ones’ of rock, that just slowly reels you in, tugs at your heart & then totally takes your breath away. Gorgeous electric & acoustic guitar tones, fat synths, sweet piano, Vitale’s haunting flute & tasteful drumming…its alchemy at its most soulful & musical.”
3. Birdcall Morning
“The openly pastoral country-tinged rock of the album’s second half signifies Walsh’s considerable gifts as a songwriter who uses his guitar as a dreamy, mercurial narrative device, as signified by the masterpiece “Birdcall Morning” – one of the greatest rock & roll love songs of the early ’70s.”
2. Giant Bohemoth
“Perhaps the highlights are the instrumental sections notably Joe Vitale’s Giant Bohemoth which sounds almost like Pink Floyd. There is a morse code message in “Giant Bohemoth” which reads “Register and vote”.
1. Midnight Visitor
“Midnight Visitor” is some kind of western influenced ballad… sort of. Perhaps not. Another experiment, this time with Joe’s well sung vocals standing tall. The piano at the very end is downright chilling.”