The Pacific Northwest has been a hotbed of music for decades, and it continues to attract and produce bands that invent original sounds and styles that are far beyond the garage. Many bands travel through Idaho all year to introduce their work to new people, and Red Jacket Mine is no exception.
"It's a good time to do anything you want," said Red Jacket Mine singer, songwriter and guitarist Lincoln Barr. "There are so many great bands in the Northwest but we represent what we sound like."
Red Jacket Mine is comprised of Andrew Salzman on drums, Barr on vocals and guitar, Patrick Porter on guitar, pedal steel and vocals, and Matthew Cunningham on bass. The band began as a duo back in Missouri and has evolved into a full-fledged rock band. The band's most recent CD release, "Lovers Lookout," is their second album, which is polished, original and lyrically intriguing.
"I approach lyrics trying to be suggestive and then explicit," said Barr. "I write more impressionistic than story-telling. The songs are playful and are narrative with snapshots of impressions of things that I have seen or heard."
Barr's eclectic style and rich writing stems from being well-versed in the Bible to listening to Al Green. Barr said it's tough to pin down who and what great American music influences inspire him, but he has a great affinity for soul and old country music.
"Lovers Lookout" is a well-constructed album. Barr's voice has a slight twang and influences such as Wilco, Cheap Trick, The Beatles and Tom Petty are woven through the music.
"It's a cohesive statement," Barr said. "We play lots of songs and rehearse a lot and dial in our band sound."
Red Jacket Mine will play at the Sun Valley Brewery in Hailey on Saturday, July 31, at 8 p.m.
For a complete listing of music events in the valley, see the Music, Dance and Theater section of the Calendar on Page C5.
—Sabina Dana Plasse
From the left, Andrew Salzman, Lincoln Barr and Patrick Porter are members of the band Red Jacket Mine from Seattle, Wash.
