Available now everywhere comedy albums are streamed or downloaded, as well as on limited edition vinyl at blondemedicine.com/arj-barker
In this age of social media, it feels like the full-length stand-up comedy album is a lost artform, with bite-sized snippets of stand-up online being the way a lot of comedy is consumed nowadays.
That is all fine, but for those of us who love something a bit more substantial and yearn for a nostalgic throwback to the days where stand-up albums were all the rage, the always-wonderful Arj Barker is keeping the tradition alive with his ninth comedy album, The Mind Field.
Born in the US but these days pretty much an adopted Aussie, Barker recorded this album live at the Punchline in San Francisco, and this is a superb showcase of his talents on stage, riffing on topics as diverse as dead-end Aussie towns, literalisation, New Zealand, his relationship with dogs and uncovering a secret coffee society in Melbourne.
The highlight for me was an absolutely killer bit on germs and why Barker is so unnerved about a disinfectant’s claim to kill “99.9% of germs”.
Also great was the aforementioned literalisation gags, with Barker having a lot of fun pondering some of the ridiculous sentences the English language can offer up.
Barker’s interactions with the audience are always jovial and good-natured, and he proves himself to be a master of wordplay and comic timing, and the crowd laps up every minute of his act, with Barker even busting out the harmonica a couple of times, which the crowd adored.
Barker is always a confident and affable live performer, and this album captures the spark and wit that has made him such a favourite in Australia and the world for the past few decades.
Running around 50 minutes, but moving at a brisk pace, The Mind Field is a must for stand-up comedy fans, even if you’re not familiar with Barker’s brand of humour.
With his incisive observations and gentle skewering of the absurdities of modern-day life, The Mind Field is a wonderful showcase for his laid-back charm.
3.5/5 STARS
More information and tour dates via arjbarker.com. Album out now.
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