Hot on the heels of his recent eclectic indie-rock long-player Earth Station, Barney Cortez returns with a poppy new wave single that shifts the profile of his sonic identity ever so slightly again. “T-Shirt Salesman” combines solid rhythm guitar playing with some sparkling lead notes to effectively cradle a soothing pop melody. The arrangement of overlapping vocals gives the tune a slightly other-worldly demeanor. Lyrically the song appears to be mocking how independent artists like Cortez are effectively reduced to flogging merch to make ends meet. The picture he paints of the contemporary music scene is not pretty. While one day like he’d like to ‘make the girls scream’ he fears he may have to ‘fake his death’ to pay off his last album. Still, he’s a trouper, singing ‘20 people here, it’s time to sell some beer.’

Altogether it’s a track where the pleasant tune belies the sentiment captured in the song’s chorus:

‘Smile for the people/don’t show them it hurts
We’re getting old and feeble/out here selling shirts’

I think a few sales might cheer this guy up. Check him out on Bandcamp, Facebook and wherever quality e-music is sold.