BARR's Beyond Reinforced Jewel Case is one of the more bizarre discs I've come across recently. Brendan Fowler, the man behind the project, has been referred to as a motivational rapper, a comedian, even a performance artist. Not quite a beat poet, not quite a storyteller, he speak-sings strange little abstracts over simple drumbeats, low-mixed bass, and the occasional piano. Some tracks are funny, some sad; others are annoying or downright puzzling.
Many of the songs here are conversational and personal. I'm reminded of Manhattan tour guide Timothy "Speed" Levitch in Bennett Miller's documentary The Cruise, who seems to speak to everyone and no one at once. Much like Levitch's pointed commentaries and criticisms, Fowler's words may leave the speaker and enter your ear, but often it is clear that he's really talking to someone very specific, possibly even himself. You're left listening to one side of a conversation about situations you're unfamiliar with and people you don't know.
In "Like, I Used to Like" he complains, "It made sense that she was stressed, the way that motherfuck-face gave her the runaround about her mortgage on her place. It really made me mad!" This sort of random conversation is par for the course. At times, his lyrics are pseudo-philosophical. "Anx-Worth It" is a 48-second musing on recurring negativity, and how putting bad feelings on tape can at least make him feel less lonely the next time the feeling rolls around. Elsewhere the words are nostalgic, as if Fowler is reminiscing, recording memories before they slip away. "Us" is a sad, frustrated explanation of how his father's death relates to the BARR concept. He voices his concern about exploiting personal pain for music. "He died and he's dead and what does that mean? What if it wasn't that way? It is what it is," he philosophizes. In a different setting, it may come off as pretentious or hokey, but in this stripped down, personal setting, it's more like your own inner dialogue than some dude trying to be poignant.
It's difficult to look at Beyond Reinforced Jewel Case on the same terms as a CD of traditional music. The first time I gave it a spin, I groaned, wondering how painful it would be to get through. But by the second song I was engrossed, and I listened intently until it ended. So on the surface, it is an incredibly enjoyable listen. But when it comes to replay, I can't say I'm often moved to pop this in. It's not driving music, working music, party music, or background music of any kind. So, while it does offer a rich, unique listening experience, it unfortunately lacks staying power.
