Lee Barber is not some new-to-the-scene hipster. He doesn’t have a schtick or a gimmick. And though he was once in the band The Barbers, which released two CDs,
Thief and Rescue marks his debut as a solo artist. It’s been a long time coming but well worth the wait. The record is at once hauntingly familiar and as fresh and rare as some exotic crimson flower bursting through fresh fallen snow. Exploring themes of loss—his marriage and, nearly simultaneously, his hometown of New Orleans to the ravages of Katrina—there remains an element of hope to the sentiments he expresses.
Thief and Rescue, released this week, is already getting major buzz on the radio and via word-of-mouth. There’s a CD release party Thursday night at the Continental Club, featuring Barber and his new band, the Broken Cup. It promises to be an evening that will be filled with both aching yearning for things that no longer are and the uplifting promise of what is yet to be.
