Album Review: Lincoln Barr — Trembling Frames
It would be misleading to characterize Trembling Frames as a subdued record. True, the most recent previous effort from Lincoln Barr was Pure Delight, a decidedly rock-oriented album from his band Red Jacket Mine. But here Barr has crafted something remarkably different. Trembling Frames might well be described as a collection of torch songs, a la Frank Sinatra‘s 1955 album In the Wee Small Hours.
There are virtually no sonic similarities between Barr and Ol’ Blue Eyes. But thematically, Trembling Frames is a record full of rumination, recriminations, regret. The music itself is subdued, which suits these songs perfectly; expert yet spare instrumental backing makes effective use of reverberating guitars, ringing vibraphones, melancholy accordion and chromatic harp. The arrangements put a low-wattage spotlight on Barr’s intimate and heartfelt crooning.
Subtle hints of the influence of Chris Isaak may be detected in the grooves of Trembling Frames, but it’s really a record like no other … at least no other record released in 2017. Pay the close attention the disc deserves and you’ll unearth bits of clever wordplay and rhyme; the latter is sprinkled throughout “Fond of Surprises.” There’s very much a late-night, bar’s-nearly-closing aura to these ten original songs, and a vaguely jazz sensibility, but Trembling Frames is no stylistic throwback; it comes off as a wholly genuine musical/artistic statement.
About the Author

Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, will be published in 2021 by HoZac Books.