It all comes down to this. For the better part of the last decade, Scranton songwriter James Barrett has been making an album about a long, drawn out end to one of the first and most meaningful relationships of his young adult life.
Finally releasing October 16, Now That I've Seen The Lightcombines the Northeast PA indie-punk scene––cemented by bands like The Menzingers, Tigers Jaw, and Captain We're Sinking––with early 2000s adult-contemporary alt-rock in equal measure. Throughout, Barrett examines what happens when heartache becomes something bigger: grief for old friends, the last apartment you shared together, lost time, and the versions of yourselves you assumed you'd become together.
Take "New York State," a high-energy new song that captures the momentum of someone chasing after something they'll likely never catch. Here, he imagines a future where a lost love could somehow be recovered, nailing its hopeless romanticism with the kind of soaring, stadium-ready rock that makes you believe right alongside him.
In certain circles, Scranton is known for a paper company. In others, it's become one of modern rock's best kept secrets––and James Barrett is ready to write its next chapter. He grew up in the Northeast PA DIY scene as a new generation of emo-tinged alternative rock was born. At the same time, Barrett was just as enamored with the widescreen, stadium-ready sounds of bands like The Killers and Angels & Airwaves.
Today, he splits his time between bar gigs, being a dog dad, hosting a weekly open mic in Scranton, and putting together the annual Good Things Are Happening Fest. And somewhere along the way, between that gig economy existence, James Barrett also wrote the most ambitious collection of songs of his career.
Jamie Coletta
(No Earbuds)
How does the press feel about James Barrett?
“Lyrically, it’s clear that James isn’t spinning tales to entertain. In each of the album’s eleven, intricately penned tracks—many of which were several years in the making—he’s sharing his truest emotions. The inconvenient ones, the painful ones, his struggles. And he manages to hit on a number of heavy-handed themes, including co-dependency, bitterness, hitting rock bottom, and grief, all while wearing the scars of someone who’s survived them.”
— Ivy Cayden, My Multi-Track Mind
“I’ve been unintentionally flinching every time I hear a song that’s too on-the-nose with references to the tumultuous events of the past year. First off, I’m still living in it. Hearing songs starkly explaining the events and not the feelings only makes my general malaise more…. malaise-y. James strikes the perfect balance by referencing details that cause the pain”
— Paige Williams, Soft Sound Press
“What truly propels his story is the captivating and evocative vocals, paired with intelligently layered guitar work; Barrett starts a listener in his deep troubles, but projects them into a heartening promise that one day, everything works out.”
— Dan Calderone, For The Punks
“Fragile Assertion” is a lively pop-punk track that explores the grief of slowly drifting apart from someone you love. Barrett transforms this ache into a cathartic singalong that feels authentic and cinematic through its four minute duration. The song’s stellar instrumental and fiery vocal delivery brings its relentless energy to life, shaping a powerful beginning to this exciting new era.”
— Amber Bintliff, Melodic Magazine
“Love Song in 2020 is a beautiful meditation on how everyone is dealing with both the “Death and destruction of the earth,” while also having to navigate the intricacies and difficulties of their personal lives that didn’t go away just because we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. It’s about fear, despair, loss, and fighting to still see hope on the other side of it all”
— Brendan Higgins, Grandma Sophia’s Cookies