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Hailing from Cannock in the UK, J.R. Harbidge is a talented, multi-instrumentalist, and master musician. His brand-new album ‘Long Black River’ is due to drop on 30th April, 2021 whilst its debut single ‘Wrong Side of the Fight’ is available now.
As Rawramp’s Neil Mach puts it: “If you fancy the idea of a no-frills Eagles-style country-rock outing (smooth but muscular) with elements of folk, country, and captivating Americana, performed with silver-dollar forthrightness and dazzling virtuous musicality… you should take a chance on ‘Long Black River’ issued this Spring by the solo recitalist and virtuoso dreamer: J.R.HARBIDGE.”
“‘Long Black River’,” says Neil Mach is “a splendid musical-artistic achievement that James modestly describes as: ‘acoustic rock with some country twang.’ He has been mentally preparing for this album for much of his creative life. For example: the album title (and lead song) ‘Long Black River’ references a nametag that a bassist in his school band (Crazy Jane) once hatched.”
“It’s a song that started life when we were fifteen and got completed when I turned forty-one,” says J R , with a smile, ““I remember having that music on a 4-track X28H multi-track recorder as a teenager and I have spent years trying to get a melody for it.
“That song waited until 2020 to disclose its undeclared magic. Songwriting is a mysterious process, isn’t it?”
Speaking of ‘Long Black River’, J R admits, “This album was both a joy and a chore at the same time. I loved writing and recording the songs, I loved getting some fantastic musicians playing on the album and I loved collaborating with a new collaborator on one of the songs. I also loved getting loads of my FB and Instagram friends to sing on the ‘yob chorus’ at the end of side-by-side: all great experiences!
“What I didn’t like was losing most of the album after I had almost finished it! I lost 80% of the recorded audio thanks to a PC mishap. This meant I had to start recording all over again, but I have to say the songs turned out a lot better than the first recordings, making it a blessing in disguise, though it’s heart attack-inducing when you realize you have lost 6 months’ work.
“The album is a collection of melody and Americana I’m very proud of. The songs on the album are a mix of deep reflection with a sprinkling of joy, truth and fiction.
“This video was my first attempt at a real DIY video. My hand was forced by lockdown. It’s clean simple, Straight to camera: No frills.”
Check out the video for ‘Wrong Side of the Fight’ above.
Stream/Download ‘Wrong Side of the Fight’ here.
Connect with J.R. online here.
