Bark Cat Bark

Josh Todd, songwriter/composer, is Bark Cat Bark, out of Paris (France, not Texas.) Imagine what artists like Beirut or Fanfarlo (two of Todd’s influences) would sound like without the vocals and with a toned down classical theme. You’d get something close to Bark Cat Bark – music that one can easily label classical, yet has much more going on. If you connote classical with sounds that are easy on the ear, then yes, Bark Cat Bark fits that category, but you can only fall asleep to some of his songs (…like say, “The Sleeping Song.”)

Todd has a knack for somehow juxtaposing the intricate with the simple – while everything comes out as one cohesive sound, there are layers upon layers of arranged instrumentation. In no song is this more evident than one of my favorites, “Galatia,” which starts off with a solid drum beat to lay the foundation, then is built upon by keys, strings, whistles, and more. Have a listen to some of his stuff, it will surely stick with you.

Also, Todd has made available several mp3s on his MySpace, so if you like what I feature here, I encourage you to check that out and find more. You can also purchase his most recent album, Á Lífi, here.

Bark Cat Bark – “Galatia” [MP3]

Bark Cat Bark – “Lac Pavin” [MP3]

Bark Cat Bark – “Rieux-Minervois” [MP3]

Bark Cat Bark – “The Sleeping Song” [MP3]