““Warren County” paints the listener quite a vivid picture. The song contains little more than some synth pads and an acoustic guitar, but the sonic space is wide and it cradles Barnes’ voice as though it were a stream flowing between two peaks. The soft percussion and vocal harmonies join in for the chorus and one cannot help but imagine the song playing as the opening credits roll across some Rocky Mountain film that has yet to be made, beckoning to the listener that there is “a world outside of Warren County.””
“Carrie Elkin playlist: Raina Rose, Ryan Culwell, Anna Tivel, Joshua James, Emily Barnes, Telisha Williams,Doug Williams, Son Of Town Hall, Robby Hecht, Danny Schmidt, Devon Sproule, Nels Andrews, Neilson Hubbard, Clay Parker & Jody James, Craig Kinsey.” - Carrie Elkin
2017 New Folk Finalist
“What I take away from this show about Barnes is that she is a dedicated singer-songwriter, with a beautiful voice, and an ability to take command of a room. Also, she said she’s not a piano player yet she played a few songs on piano with such ease and confidence. Not a piano player—really!?! Well, Emily Barnes, you have my attention now and I am listening.”
“Emily Barnes is more than just a musician; she’s a storyteller that sets the lives of her characters to music. Her sophomore release Let in the Light should be both required reading and listening for anyone who is feeling or has ever felt fractured by life.”
Divide and Conquer Music Reviews
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Check out my interview with Dennis from "Outliers and Cold Fires" indie music blog
“Eleven tracks strong, this album provides more than just a fantastic voice. The instrumentation throughout these songs is well polished and lends more strength to the already great writing.”
“'Let in the Light' has a calming, folksy feel to it. The songs are almost lullaby-like with Barnes’ soft voice and peaceful strumming of her guitar. ”