Officially released today on April 2nd, 2021, Joe Barksdale is back again with an emphatic new record, Omari. Please read along with us as we share our complete thoughts on the album, in addition to a background on the artist.

Austin, Texas-based artist Joe Barksdale is truly a jack of all trades. Having played in the NFL, he’s also an incredibly talented musician specializing in genres across the board such as soul, R&B, and rock. With this newest album Omari being released, Joe is solidifying himself as a serious wave maker within music.

Says Joe on the creation of the record, “This album is a collection of inspirations. I used the delivery of a female voice to narrate and take the listener deeper into tracks like “Animosity,” and “Everyone Knows” to provide a closer look at who I am an artist and person. From smooth lo-fi inspired tracks to hints of New Orleans bounce - there’s a variety of experiences that work together beautifully and seamlessly throughout these songs.”

Omari is really just that, a collection of experiences that encompass a wide variety of style and genre. It’s a record that we’ve quickly come to love and appreciate, especially because even for the most passive of music lover, they’ll find something to embrace and enjoy here. Filled with over the top guitar riffs, electronic atmospheric moments, and a whole lot of groovy bass, the instrumentation created is compelling nearly beyond words.

At 13 tracks in total length, there’s a real sense of cohesion that can be found here as well. It can be tough sometimes, because so often do you listen to an album like this that tries its hand at a handful of genres and fails to sound like the same artist from start to finish. That is not the case here in the slightest as right from the get go it’s got his signature feel and style on it that make you know up front this is a Joe Barksdale track.

As summer starts to roll around in our area of the USA, we couldn’t help but think immediately how wonderful of an addition this particular record would be to a warm and sunny day. It’s the type of record you can impress a friend with by showing it to them, pop on at a pool party, or groove to by yourself at the beach if you so wish. There’s just so many occasions that Omari could fit into, it’s wild.

Our clear and direct recommendation for all the readers out there is to get on this record as soon as you finish up your days. Give it your undivided attention and get ready to groove! Listen to Omari

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Joe Barksdale crafts a genre transcendent record, "Omari"