Percussionist Tim Barnes is best known for playing on Jim O'Rourke's legendary Drag City releases, and he's logged time with artists such as Wilco, Sonic Youth, Stereolab, Silver Jews, Tony Conrad, John Zorn, Faust, Tower Recordings, and Alan Licht, among others. In 2021, he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, which sparked a years-long effort to capture some more brilliance while Barnes was still able. He embarked on sessions with many of his greatest collaborators, yielding recordings that now add up to two new albums, Lost Words and Noumena, set for release on the same this summer through Drag City.
The producer for these records was Ken (Bundy) Brown of Tortoise, Gastr del Sol, and Pullman. They feature a highly impressive cast of experimental greats including Joshua Abrams, Oren Ambarchi, David Daniell, John Dieterich, Darin Gray, David Grubbs, Glenn Kotche, Tara Jane O’Neil, Jim O'Rourke, Ken Vandermark, Britt Walford, and Mike Watt, among others. The first song they're sharing from the project is Lost Words track "At The Threshold," a percussive wonder that reassembles the classic Jim O'Rourke band of Barnes, O'Rourke, bassist Gray, and drummer Kotche, also of Wilco fame. Check it out below; you can also download a free MP3 at the Drag City site.
LOST WORDS TRACKLIST:
01 "Surroundings" (Feat. Darin Gray, Glenn Kotche, Rob Mazurek, & Jim O'Rourke)
02 "Warming Up" (Feat. David Daniell)
03 "At The Threshold (Feat. Darin Gray, Glenn Kotche, & Jim O'Rourke)
04 "Putting Socks On Centipedes" (Feat. Oren Ambarchi)
05 "California Quarry South" (Feat. John Dieterich, Ro(b)//ert Lundberg, & Matt Mehlan)
06 "And A Cloud Passes Overhead..." (Feat. Darin Gray, Glenn Kotche, & Jim O'Rourke)
07 "Just A Suggestion" (Feat. Joshua Abrams & David Daniell)
08 "Never Touching The Ground" (Feat. David Grubbs, Tara Jane O'Neil, & Ken Vandermark)
09 "The Year Of The Rabbit" (Feat. Alan Licht, Tara Jane O'Neil, & Ken Vandermark) (Bonus Track)
10 "It's The Even Numbers That Hurt A Bit" (Feat. Ken Brown, David Grubbs, Ken Vandermark, & Britt Walford) (Bonus Track)
NOUMENA TRACKLIST:
01 "(dis)Place(d)" (Feat. Darin Gray, Glenn Kotche, Rob Mazurek, and Jim O'Rourke)
02 "ECM Test" (Feat. Oren Ambarchi)
03 "Skidding" (Feat. John Dieterich, Thollem, & Mike Watt)
04 "Cheat Codes" (Feat. Ken Brown & Douglas McCombs)
05 "Coventry West" (feat. John Dieterich, Ro(b)//ert Lundberg, & Matt Mehlan)
06 "Day Goes All The Time" (Feat. Joshua Abrams, Roberto Carlos Lange, & Chad Taylor)
07 "In The Moment" (Feat. John Dieterich, Thollem, & Mike Watt)
08 "Deashi" (Feat. Ken Brown)
09 "Somebody's Birthday" (Feat. Tara Jane O'Neil)
10 "Dawn Patrol (Feat. Ken Brown & Britt Walford) (Bonus Track)
Lost Words and Noumena are out 6/27 via Drag City.
