Anyone lucky enough to have caught up with Nashville based blues-infused Southern rockers Parker Barrow on their recent UK dates last week will be delighted to learn they’ve a new single out, entitled ‘Novocaine’ and that they’ll be back this November as special guests on The Damn Truth’s Winter 2025 UK Tour.
Available on all streaming platforms here, ‘Novocaine’ is accompanied by a music video you can check out here at RAMzine.
Imagine that back in 1969, during the recording of Led Zeppelin II, Jimmy Page had brought out the acoustic guitars a year early; being as much influenced by The Band‘s Music from Big Pink as he was on revamping his old blues 7 inches. Here on Parker Barrow‘s new single ‘Novocaine‘ we move across a Nashville country skyline as a riff packed full of thunder and lightning gets unleased.
Singer Megan Kane’s stirring revelations about how low she feels after losing her lover, are primal emotions but the honest truth is many a hot-blooded male will themselves be baying like a hungry wolf, pining to take that no-good sonnuvabitch’s place.
One of the pertinent lines in Parker Barrow‘s new single ‘Novocaine’ goes “Can’t feel a thing” but the truth is you’ve a heart full of stone if that’s the way you feel after a single spin of this number. This is a band to watch, more so one whose records you oughta start buying
“’Novocaine’ came from an idea Alex, our guitarist, had in his back pocket for some time,” said Parker Barrow’s founding member and drummer, Dylan Turner. “At the time he showed it to us I had recently written some lyrics with no real melody or song structure in mind, but I immediately realised the riff he brought to us was perfect for the lyrics I had just written.”
“The soft minor intro to the exploding guitars was the perfect combination of soul and heavy! After taking it into the studio our producer, Stephen McKnight had an idea to change the intro riff to a Rhodes style piano and from there we were off to the races. The drum track was played on a beautiful Bucks County drum kit that sounded amazing in the studio! Novocaine is a track full of energy, passion, and power. We hope it will leave the listener anything but numb after listening.”
“’Novocaine’ was derived from an idea I had saved from a jam a few years ago,” explained Parker Barrow’s guitarist, Alex Bender. “It was a swung, sixteenth note chromatic riff that when paired with certain accents from the drums, created a bluesy almost seductive feel that was perfect for a verse. Originally written on guitar, our producer, Stephen McKnight, heard the riff and had the idea to transfer it and feature a Rhodes electric piano. This added even more character to the darker mood of the track. We felt dynamics were very important, so we used different instrumentation to achieve a wide dynamic range.
“There were acoustic guitars used for rhythmic textures throughout the song. Most of it was tracked on a Gibson Les Paul, doubling any necessary parts with a Gibson SG. The guitar solo for ‘Novocaine’, was enjoyable to develop. It was played on a Les Paul that was running into a Wah effects pedal. The Wah allowed me to be even more expressive with the notes and the way I approached the solo. My favourite bit of the song is the chords our producer created to support the riff in the pre-chorus. It has a descending bass line that utilizes some augmented harmonies over top that sneak in and create a moment of dissonance before the eventual resolution in the powerhouse chorus.”
Bender continued, “’Novocaine’ allowed us to explore new song-writing territories with different feels but in a way that is still Parker Barrow. Soaring vocals, hard-hitting drums and plenty of guitar help to drive this song while still maintaining a level of restraint to let the track breathe when needed. Like a temptation we cannot resist, Novocaine satisfies all the desires we love, without any of the guilt.”
Described one of their “most exciting new songs to date” ‘Make It’, was released as a single back in April. ‘Make It’ announces itself with some very loud guitars, and once you’ve adjusted your lug-holes you’ll begin to notice that your hips are already a shaking to the decidedly Zeppelin honey-dipped swagger that has since ensued. It doesn’t take the accompanying video for you to realise singer Kane’s is gonna melt your heart with her impressive rock ‘n soul holler, especially over the female backing vocal assisted speedier wanton choruses that repeat licentiously. Put on repeat.
Also written and composed by Dylan Turner (drums) and Alex Bender (guitar), ‘Make It’ and ‘Novocaine’ will be one the band’s highly anticipated album due later this year, produced by Stephen McKnight, who was also responsible for producing their debut album, Jukebox Gypsies, that featured prominently on several Best of 2023 lists.
“’Make It’ was a fun song to write,” said Turner at the time. “It allowed us to show a more playful side of the band both lyrically and musically. The song is a sweet concoction of heavy drums, loud guitars and screaming vocals. The time changes give us room to balance the groove and high energy swing feel that are both so prominent in classic southern rock ‘n’ roll.”
“We knew right from the jump that ‘Make It’ would be the first single for the new album,” added Kane. “It had our it as a song and we immediately thought of making it (pardon the pun) a staple in our live show – high energy to get ya’ moving with an edginess true to the band’s rock ‘n’ roll spirit.”
Bender added “Sometimes songs can take weeks, months or even years to complete, and we found the process in this case to be the contrary. Make It came together quickly. We really enjoyed the process of writing and recording Make It and feel that the track encompasses what Parker Barrow is all about.”
A video for ‘Make It’ was shot on location in Nashville, and was directed and produced by Keith Leman, whose credentials include Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Morgan Wade, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Kenny Chesney and Willie Nelson.
Parker Barrow is a high energy, blues-infused southern rock ‘n’ roll band led by husband-and-wife duo Megan Kane(lead vocals) and Dylan Turner (drums). A chance encounter brought Kane and Turner together in 2019, when Turner was searching for a new singer for his band. The pair immediately hit it off, and within two weeks they were on the road together in full time pursuit of a mutual musical dream. The couple have been riding the highs and lows of rock ’n’ roll road life ever since.
Parker Barrow’s name is taken from Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow; the infamous American bank robbers during the early 1930s Great Depression.
In 2023 Parker Barrow expanded with the full-time inclusion of guitarist and musical director Alex Bender. Parker Barrow’s compelling vintage sound contains elements of rock, southern rock, blues, and soul; but the band’s brand of music is unmistakably and distinctly their own. The band commands an impressive mix of old and new influences threaded throughout their distinctive sound, including The Allman Brothers, The Black Crowes, Blackberry Smoke, Johnny Cash, The Rolling Stones, Tedeschi-Trucks, Whiskey Myers and Led Zeppelin.
From Parker Barrow’s 2023 debut album Jukebox Gypsies they released the singles ‘Count Your Dollars’ and ‘Back To Birmingham’ that racked up over a million views on YouTube.
Booked worldwide by Intrepid Artists International, Parker Barrow has become well known for electrifying, full throttle live shows where no two performances are the same and their songs are often infused with extended jams that move seamlessly through the emotional spectrum.
The band has toured the US performing concerts with Robert Jon & the Wreck, Them Dirty Roses, The Kentucky Headhunters, and Feel. They’ve been described as a “well-oiled rock ’n’ roll machine on stage with a captivating live presence and infectious energy”.
Tickets are available The Damn Truth and Parker Barrow live in the UK this November here and at The Gig Cartel.
