Tampa-based songwriter and storyteller Bill Barlow unveils his third album, By Special Request — a melding of rock, soul, and blues alongside lyrical depth. Curated from songs chosen by fans, friends, and family, the album reflects Barlow’s lifelong commitment to emotional honesty and connection through music. Spanning from tender, introspective ballads to impassioned, groove-driven rock and blues, By Special Request unfolds as a cohesive journey through love, loss, and reflection, anchored by Barlow’s evocative vocals and memorable songwriting.

A suave rock entrancement takes hold on opening track “She’s A Lonely Highway (Melancholic Exit),” depicting a character “caught up in the haze” and the equivalent of a “lonely highway” — poetic and impactful of a “relationship unraveling” and its lonely road comparisons. Another standout piece of songwriting shows in “Waiting For The Fight,” where tender guitar twangs accompany solemn lyrical expressions of personal tumult and a drive to avoid loneliness — feeling like trapped “with no escape,” and in this particular instance also capturing the impacts of domestic violence.

Barlow’s magnetic songwriting is on consistent display throughout, and especially on “Life Without A Rhyme.” Seductive, bluesy guitar tones exude a wailing emotion from the get-go as moody, late-night textures linger with an ’80s nostalgia — blissfully atmospheric and soulfully melodic as the “I am looking in the mirror” vocal introspection opens. The gripping lyrical path, contemplating on different pathways in life, resonates into a warming array of organs and further vocal charisma. By Special Request is an enthralling exploration of soulful rock and heartfelt lyrical precision from Bill Barlow.

—

“Life Without A Rhyme” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Bill Barlow – ‘By Special Request’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.