The Kris Barras Band are set to release a new album called The Devine And Dirty, it’s due out on 23rd March and will be released through the Provogue/Mascot Label Group.
Kris Barras isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. As a former Mixed Martial Artist, the singer and guitarist has fought in front of 8000 people, lived it up in Las Vegas, dealt with bankruptcy, suffered a deep and personal loss, unleashed southern-fried blues fury on stages across Europe and been voted one of the best 13 Blues Guitarists in the World Right Now in 2017.
The Divine And Dirty is his first album to be released on Provogue/Mascot Label Group.
Just as the title refers to the good and the bad within us all, the album encapsulates everything Barras has been through to this point.
Following the release of 2016’s self-released full-length debut Lucky 13 he says, “I was concerned that maybe I wasn’t going to be able to do any better than that. I forced myself to try different approaches, do things I’ve never done before. I think it paid off.”
The Divine And Dirty wears its heritage proudly. Songs such as I Don’t Owe Nobody Nothing, Propane and She’s More Than Enough shows the breadth of influences that stretches back to Led Zeppelin, the Stones, Howlin’ Wolf and Free.
But there’s a modern energy to it as well that places Kris Barras in a similar mould to current heavyweights such as Rival Sons, Black Stone Cherry and The Cadillac Three.
The album is an eclectic beast that can fire out rocket-fuelled blues in Kick Me Down and gospel-infused rock’n’roll in the shape of Hail Mary but dial things back showing a tender side on Hold On For Tomorrow.
Produced by Josiah J Manning at Momentum Studios, Plymouth, ambition bleeds from every pore of The Divine And Dirty.
It follows a triumphant year for Barras who in 2017 embarked on his first European tour, calling at Norway, Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania and jubilant sets at his biggest ever show at RAWA Blues Festival (Poland) and Ramblin’ Man Fair last summer with his band; Josiah J Manning (Keyboards), Elliott Blackler (Bass) and Will Beavis (Drums).
“It was overwhelming to discover just how much they love the Blues in mainland Europe,” he says. “We did just under 5000 miles in two weeks.
RAWA Blues was awesome, such a great crowd and it was an honour to be one of the main stage acts. It’s the biggest show I’ve ever done.
When we first walked into the arena for sound check, we were blown away. We were just some little blues band from the arse-end of the UK and you got the frontman driving the bus!
Ramblin’ Man Fair was also a great weekend, we got to hang out with and watch guys I grew up listening to.”
The first day he came into the Mascot UK offices was no less dramatic than his life so far as he was caught up in a suspected terrorist incident and was ushered back into the building by armed police who had closed the street down. “Well I live in a little seaside town in the South-West, so terror alerts aren’t something that we tend to experience! It was pretty worrying, especially as we were reading the real-time updates online….the media were reporting all kinds of crazy things.”
Everything is primed to propel The Kris Barras Band to even greater heights in 2018. He has the songs, the talent and the ambition to take on the scene’s biggest hitters. And armed with this kind of passion and dedication, they are coming out swinging. Stand back – rock has a new hero.
To find out more about his extraordinary life and to purchase music, check out tour info etc…please go to – Kris Barras Band
Track Listing –
1. Kick Me Down
2. Hail Mary
3. I Don’t Owe Nobody Nothing
4. Propane
5. Wrong Place, Wrong Time
6. Lovers Or Losers
7. She’s More Than Enough
8. Stitch Me Up
9. Hold On For Tomorrow
10. Blood On Your Hands
11. Watching Over Me
Tour Dates
23 March – The Wharf, Tavistock
24 March – The Palladium, Bideford
27 March – The Comrades Club, Coulsdon
28 March – Ypres Tavern, Sittingbourne
29 March – The Iron Road, Evesham
30 March – Yardbirds Club, Grimsby
31 March – Aatma, Manchester
04 April – Haven Club, Oxford
05 April – The Face Bar, Reading
06 April – The Warehouse, Harrogate
07 April – The Supporter’s Club, West Hartlepool
08 April – Fuel, Cardiff
13 April – The Musician, Leicester
14 April – HRH Blues O2 Academy, Sheffield
18 May – The Abertillery Blues Rock Festival, Abertillery
15 June – LoveRocks Festival, Ferndown
01 July – Ramblin’ Man Fair, Maidstone
