Amid an artistic enclave in constant flux, Rick Barry has not only survived but evolved into something of a statesman.
Whether assuming his position as frontman, singer/songwriter or simply hanging back at the bar, the Point Pleasant native has become one of the local music scene's most visible, vital personalities since establishing a foothold within the Asbury Park cityscape in early 2000.
With the blessing of his hard-earned acceptance, however, comes its inevitable curse.
How do struggling performers continue to turn heads, even when eyes are already on them?
Barry's answer, it seems, can be found in his most recent release, "This Antediluvian World,'' a six-song EP that shuffles with a stark, lazy stride and finds him clinging to the same wrenching candor that was winning fans over back when he was playing to local crowds as a teenager.
The album sprawls beyond the trappings of the latter-day "indie'' tag and, despite a lean duration, manages to condense the gamut of existential tones thus far absorbed into Barry's maturing body of work.
Comprising five songs and a brief, instrumental intro, the album is a surprisingly humble venture epitomized by its single, "On Our Way Home (From New England),'' brooding, pensive and brutally sincere.
As singer/songwriter, Barry has shared the stage with such Garden State comrades as April Smith, Val Emmich and Glen Burtnik and played in bands including Rick Barry & Seven Daze, Rick Barry & The Mourning After, No Wine For Kittens, Paperback Radio and his most recent, The New Rick Barrys. He's been recognized with countless Asbury Music Awards and launched his Night in Progress monthly live-music series at The Saint last year.
Now, with "This Antediluvian World,'' Barry's melancholy croon seems to beg the question, "Is there any stone here left to turn?''
Released nearly a decade after his Asbury debut, the album is the work of man watching the sun set over crossroads, an artist who knows he can't stay forever in this city of consolation.
"Antediluvian'' is Barry at his finest, a born musician and storyteller fighting to face forward while choking back a bitter shot of premature homesickness. It features backing vocalists Val Emmich ("A Thousand Words,'' "Richard, Please,'' "All of Your Mistakes Have Names''), Allie Moss ("On Our Way Home'') and Eryn Shewell ("Atlantis'').
Wherever he decides to go next, Barry can rest assured that good company will always be watching back.
"This Antediluvian World'' is available at www.cdbaby.com.
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