''Ahead of Our Time'' is the fourth extended play by Canadian country music group

James Barker Band The James Barker Band is a Canadian country group formed in Woodville, Ontario, in 2015. The band consists of James Barker, Taylor Abram, Connor Stephen, and Bobby Martin. In Canada, they have four number one country singles with "Chills (James Ba ...

. It was released on October 20, 2023, via Records Nashville, marking the band's first project released on a U.S. label. The EP was produced by

Todd Clark Pilot Speed (formerly known as Pilate) was a Canadian rock band, who were active in the early 2000s.Gerry Krochak, "Pilate strives for sincerity". ''Regina Leader-Post'', October 23, 2003. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the band consisted of vocalis ...

, and contains the singles " Meet Your Mama", " On the Water", and the title track " Ahead of Our Time", as well as the promotional single "Champagne".

Background and promotion

The band's frontman James Barker stated that the EP "tells the story of who we are, where we’ve been and where we’re headed in our next chapter". He added that the band was "drawn to the title of Ahead Of Our Time because these songs have been a part of our journey for a while". After not releasing an extended play since 2020, Barker remarked "I feel like we've been sitting on music for so long. And I feel like this is the best music we've ever made". The band performed live at a "pop up show" at Ole Red in Nashville, Tennessee on November 28, 2023, to celebrate the release of the project.

Critical reception

Lorie Hollabaugh of ''Music Row'' stated that the EP "showcases the group’s trademark cheeky lyrics and catchy melodies". Nicole Piering of ''Country Swag'' opined that the project "shows why they’ve become megastars in Canada and serves as a perfect introduction to new fans everywhere". An uncredited review from ''All Country News'' said that the EP "is reflective of the and'sdynamic approach and matches the dynamics within the group", noting "heartfelt narratives and voices that meld together like butter". Laura Cooney of ''Entertainment Focus'' favourably reviewed the project, stating that it "shows the diversity and range of their sound and exudes positive energy throughout, as well as highlighting their musicianship and James’s skills as a songwriter and vocalist".

Track listing

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic. * Taylor Abram – background vocals, composition * James Barker – lead vocals, guitar, composition * Drew Bollman — engineering * João Carvalho –

master engineering Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans * Grandmaster (chess), National Maste ...

* Ben Caver – background vocals *

— backing vocals, composition, production, engineering, guitar,

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

, programming * Rodney Clawson – composition * Dave Cohen – keyboard * Josh Ditty – engineering * Kris Donegan – guitar * Dalton Dover – featured vocals * Jay Dufour – mixing * Matt Huber – mixing engineer * Tony Lucido – bass guitar * Darren McGill – assistant engineering * Joel McKenney – assistant engineering * Lex Price – bass guitar * Jerry Roe – drums * Jake Rose – composition, programming * Justin Schipper –

pedal steel guitar The pedal steel guitar is a Console steel guitar, console-type of steel guitar with pedals and knee levers that change the pitch of certain strings to enable playing more varied and complex music than any previous steel guitar design. Like all s ...

* Gavin Slate – composition, programming * Byron Sutton –

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

mandolin A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

* Derek Wells – electric guitar * Charlie Worsham – acoustic guitar, guitar, mandolin

Charts

Singles

Release history

References

{{authority control 2023 EPs James Barker Band albums Albums produced by Todd Clark