Rocking Hard With Niki Barr

Bruce Von Stiers

Niki Barr has been one of the most requested performers on the Armed Forces Entertainment Tours. In 2008 she and her band, the Niki Barr Band, had their 11 th appearance on the tour. The band has also been on the Shiprocked! cruises in 2009 and 2010 appearing with bands like Skid Row, Tesla, Drowning Pool and Queensryche. They have also made guest appearances at performances by Puddle of Mud, Antigone Rising, Pappa Roach and Fosterchild among many others.

2010 was not only a good year for the band, tour wise; they also recorded and released a brand new album. The album is titled Radar Radio and follows their top rated album from 2008 called Bloom.

Niki had a pretty decent solo career early on. Then the backup touring band that she’d assembled became her regular band. This band consists of Island Styles on lead guitar, Scott Ensign on bass and B.J. Kerwin on drums. Niki plays guitar too along with providing the vocals.

Some guys, hell a lot of guys, wouldn’t mind being with a woman who wants nothing but sex. And lots of it. The first song on the album has something for just that kind of guy. The title of the song is Sex Fiend. Niki sings about wanting to be the “reason your mother never calls” and “I wanna show things you can’t even comprehend, I want to be the reason you can barely stand.” She wants to be your “sex queen cause I am a sex fiend.” The song has some cool guitar and the vocals are good. It’s one of those songs that just might invoke a memory or two, or possibly just a fantasy.

Head bobbing music, too tough guitar and killer vocals make Worry one of my favorite songs on the album. It has some almost haunting vocals in the middle.

But then again, the next song, Ghost, has some really good guitar and vocals too.

Surrender is a hard hitting, in your face rock anthem.

Enemy is a fast paced song will have you bopping your head and stomping your feet.

Fallen begins with sound effects from something like a war zone with gunfire and fighter jets in the air. It is a slow and endearing ballad. I know that sound a little strange, but Niki carries it out well.

Then things speed back up as bit with some tough guitar in Miles Away.

Somewhat machine gun styled guitar starts out Lips Like A Crucifix. Sliding into a steady anthem mode, this song is one that will definitely have fans singing along to at club and concert dates. There is a really slick short guitar bridge in the song too.

Enough starts out fast and furious, and then slows down into a moderate anthem. The song has some aching vocals mixed with harsh, kinda angry ones. The guitar is too cool, sometimes dipping into an 80’s metal rock influence.

The album ends with a song called Love Yourself. It is a hard hitting anthem with killer guitar and vocals.

Niki Barr keeps on rocking hard. I’ve been a fan for quite some time and always look forward to the next installment of Niki and her band’s music. Radar Radio does not disappoint. With scorching tracks like Love Yourself and Worry along with the slow aching ballad sound of Fallen and the hot lyrics of Sex Fiend make this not only one of the top rock albums of the year but possibly the decade.

Radar Radio is out in stores now and online.

Samples from Radar Radio, along with a couple of great videos can be found on the official Niki Barr Band web site. The site is www.nikibarr.com. You can also order a copy of the album from the site along with other merch like t-shirts and Sex Fiend booty shorts.

 

 

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© 2011 Bruce E Von Stiers