Richmond’s prodigal punk rock son has returned home and to his acoustic roots with "Manchester."

This latest album from Tim Barry is the product of collaboration between Richmond musicians. The rotating line-up of Barry’s backing band includes his sister Caitlin, good friend Josh Small and Richmond’s infamous No BS Brass Band.

Back at the Revival Tour show that Barry played at the Canal Club he performed the song “South Hill,” which is track three on the new album. It’s a story about a young man from South Hill, Va. who finds his only way out is a trip to Fallujah. Barry doesn’t take an open stance on the war with “South Hill,” but he definitely leaves you with enough to make up your own mind.

The sound of this album can summed up by the fact that Barry does a cover of “This November” from his band Avail. The same ferocity is present, but so is a bit of banjo and tambourine and a bit more of a heart-on-your-sleeve feel.

The climax of "Manchester" seems to happen somewhere during track 8, “C.R.F.” Leading into the latter third of the 12 track album it features all the right touches. Things get going with Caitlin Barry showing off her talents with the violin bow over he brother’s chunky acoustic riff and Josh Small strays from his normal acoustic faire to lay down some electric guitar licks that hold it all together. The Barry siblings plus Small are the normal touring unit for Tim Barry so it makes sense that it’s with that core group that this album really shines. And really there’s a definite positive correlation when it comes to the ratio of acrobatic violin skills to quality of music.

If there’s one complaint about this album it’s that, after that aforementioned climax, things kind of mellow out. There seems to be something where CDs have to leave the energy behind and leave on a slow note.

           
Now, the last couple of songs, “222” and “Raised and Grown” feature some of the more introspective lyrical work by Barry, but they’re a bit more forgettable than the rest of the album.

"Manchester" came out Nov. 4 on Suburban Home Records.