Biography

BARLEY STATION is one of those rare multi-fronted bands (multiple vocalists/songwriters) whose music combines the roots of Americana, Country, Rock/Pop Roots, and Folk and puts them in a blender with a dash of amaretto pouring out a tasty glass of contagious sound! The result is a distinctly alternative blend that draws deeply from its roots yet looks forward and to the future.

Leicester Bangs (UK) gets it just right with their review of the album, "There’s an abundance of creative talent in Barley Station, as no fewer than three members - Randy Wayne Belt, Brian Kious, and Emily Thomas – write and sing. Together they blend alternative country and rootsy folk-rock into a style that has all the pop appeal of the classic Jayhawks records, but remains earthy and resolutely unpolished. It’s a win / win for me, and I’m sure they’d appeal to both No Depression readers and fans of first generation country rock"

Music Dish Journal puts it this way about the critically acclaimed first single, “Rootsy alternative country at its best" and "I Found You” will find itself at home in any country music fan’s collection."

And Marsbands.com proclaims, "Barley Station has an addictive “twang” about their music that, honestly, I never knew I liked. In fact, I had to make a new category in the Genre section for Country just for them."

With roots in Missouri and Texas this quickly emerging group puts together the influences of their roots with the dynamics of the unknown tomorrow.

I AM Entertainment Magazine says, "Barley Station's eclectic brand of rock, country and folk music will give fans of those genres something to talk about. "


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“Many hardcore genre purists even like what we’re doing, though some don’t, but its who we are, and we can’t change that. It’s just how we write and how we’ve been influenced”, explains Randy. He adds, “I was once told by a hard core country fan that mixing pop into country (or folk) in one of my songs is like spitting in beer! Though he seemed to come across as rather offended by our genre bending, the person proceeded to say he couldn’t help but like that particular song.”

Randy, Brian, and Casey worked together in the midwest based group, The Barnacles, honing their songwriting, stage, and composing skills for years. Barley Station is no stranger to radio and press. Under the banner of their previous group, The Barnacles, they achieved the release of several CDs, national and regional tours, performed well over 300 live shows, given radio interviews, and had airplay on over 200 land radio stations, including college, public, and some commercial radio.

They received medium rotation on TABC’s ‘Best of Rock’ show and enjoyed medium to heavy rotations on other stations. Their genre blending sounds gave them a constant #1 add rate (over 90% consistently) with their radio promotion firm. Barley Station will be a group to watch as they take those previous successes to new levels.

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You can find music by Barley Station under their old band name, The Barnacles, here:

http://www.cdbaby.com/artist/thebarnacles