Kansas City singer/songwriter makes his presence felt with Missing Pieces, his debut album for Bonded Records. The album features ten tracks filled with emotive, often soulful, renderings on life. The music itself is often Jazz oriented but it always remains grounded in radio-friendly pop tunes not unlike Five For Fighting or Eliot Morris in spirit and musically maybe a bit more like Jason Mraz or a toned down Natasha Bedingfeld.
I wouldn’t say this album is life-changing in any way, but Barnhart certainly has his moments. The desperate plea that echoes within the power ballad “One More Second Chance” is a great example. Barnhart really lets go vocally on this song and he soars. There are no two ways about it. “Whatever You Get” is another highlight. A funkier number, it reminds me a bit of what Stevie Wonder might sound like if he were white and a Pop artist. The message of “whatever you get, just give it away” is wonderful one though and you certainly get the sense Barnhart believes every word of it. The back to back title track and “Painkiller” (incidentally NOT a cover of the Judas Priest song of the same name) are highlights as well, especially if you like semi-funky Pop AC tunes that are right at home on Top 40 radio.
Overall, I don’t think this album is the most amazing thing that ahs been released this year. That said, I do think that Barnhart at least provides us with an album with interesting moments that make you wonder what he might be capable of over time. Fans of solid Top 40 Pop should definitely check this out.
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
