Combat Corona Covers started as a way to stay active and creative during while raising money to assist the folks who needed it most during the pandemic. We raised thousands of dollars together and donated funds to Direct Relief, the Trevor Project, Lost & Found, the Marsha P Johnson Foundation, Covid Bail Out NYC, Matthew 25 Ministries, and many more wonderful organizations. All songs were requests from friends, family, and eventually from folks we met as a result of the project. These 208 performances were rehearsed and recorded mostly between April & July of 2020. Personal favorites include Tomorrow’s Gonna Be A Brighter Day (Jim Croce), Fingertips (They Might Be Giants), Why (Annie Lennox), Please Mr. Postman, Debra (Beck) My family and I had so much fun making these. Push the button below to view the full playlist on YouTube. Enjoy!
discography
Horseless by Secret Pint (2019)
Listen on iTunes Apple Music Spotify Sound Cloud Band Camp
Available on limited edition midnight blue vinyl here!
What began in 2017 as a loose affiliation of songs about our mutual childhood fascination with Paul Simon’s Graceland, this Secret Pint collaboration with Shawn McKown evolved into something else altogether. Easily the quietest album in the discography, it’s an idiosyncratic 29 minute meditation on approaching 40 with detours at Maine beaches, honky tonks, and a tribute to Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles. Cover drawing of James & Shawn with their better halves by Maeve McKown, age 8. Thank you, Maeve- awesome job! Recorded by Andrew Oedel at his beautiful Ghost Hit studio in Holyoke, MA.
James Barry (Vox/Guitars/Bass/Keys/Drums) Shawn McKown (Vox/Guitars/Keys/Drums) Tara Franklin (Vox on “My Red Wine”)
Embrace Yourself Tonight (2015)
Listen on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Sound Cloud.
Available on limited bubblegum pink 150 gram virgin vinyl!
My first solo album finds me attempting to playfully synthesize my power pop, punk, 60’s girl group & Irish trad influences. Featuring Josh Dion on drums, Corey Kaiser on bass, string arrangements by Alex Sovronsky, & Anthony Cekay on sax. It was recorded in various apartments and rehearsal studios in NYC by Nathan Leigh. Photo by Rosie Cohe, design by John Bent.
James Barry (Vox/Guitars/Keys), Josh Dion (Drums), Corey Kaiser (Bass), Alex Sovronsky (Strings on “Dropping Pennies” & “All The Way Around”), Anthony Cekay (Sax on “Lost Weekend”), Tara Franklin (Vox on “All The Way Around”), Nathan Leigh & Joe Therrien (Vox on “I Could Sink That Low”), Nathan Leigh & Nicole Orabona (Hand claps)
NON ALBUM TRACK! I COULD SINK THAT LOW REMIX BY DANA HAYNES
Music video for “Catastrophe is easy” by Brian HISSONG, DEMO RECORDED BY NATHAN LEIGH
NORTHERN ROCK by SECRET PINT
(2015)
Listen on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Sound Cloud, Band Camp, etc.
With Rip Cantelmi on drums, Shawn & I chug through a motley set of 14 tunes, hopping from jangly power pop to no wave noise with no warning. Shimmering guitars, opulent harmonies, odd time signatures, and brutal scuzz all vie for supremacy in yr headphones. Recorded by Andrew Oedel at North Fire in Amherst, MA.
James Barry (Vox/Guitars/Bass) Rip Cantelmi (Drums) Shawn McKown (Vox/Guitars/Keys)
The SECOND HANDS, S/T
(2010)
Listen on Sound Cloud
This is essentially Secret Pint plus the vocal talents of Shawn’s sister Meghan McKown. Many of these tunes are still finding their way into my live sets today. Recorded by Eric Block at (the now sadly defunct) Semaphore Recording Studio in Chicago’s Ukranian Village. I may have 2x CD’s of this & Grammatika still shrink wrapped and lying around. Want one?
James Barry (Vox/Guitars/Bass) Rip Cantelmi (Drums) Meghan McKown (Vox) Shawn McKown (Vox/Guitars/Keys) Steve Nixon (Piano on “Blush”)
Grammatika E.P. by
The SECOND HANDS (2010)
Perhaps the most pretentious thing we’ve ever attempted, but absolutely one of the recordings I am most proud of. This is a concept e.p. about county fairs that follows the circle of 5ths around all 12 keys (like a ferris wheel!). We may upload to Spotify, etc. one day, but for now to avoid breaks between tracks (which are unfortunately inevitable on Sound Cloud & Band Camp), I broke it into 2 halves you can check out below. Same line up & credits as the self titled Second Hands album, and recorded at the same sessions.
BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON (2009-2011)
Music & lyrics by Michael Friedman, directed by Alex Timbers
Check out the original cast recording. Check us out recording it.
So proud to have been a part of this envelope pushing coup. One of the greatest adventures of my life. I should probably have kept this in the theatre section of the site, but it rocked too hard to exclude. Timbers & Friedman put me on the actor/musician map with this show and I’m forever grateful.
GRAND ARMY ARROWS (2006-2008)
Easily the biggest bummer in all my days playing in bands is that Grand Army Arrows never recorded a proper album. We were an NYC power pop band that gigged relentlessly at Arlene’s Grocery & Pianos between 2006-2008. Surviving video and demos recorded by Joe Jung below. Arrows away!
James Barry (Vox/Guitar) Neal Cimochowski (Bass) Joe Therrien (Vox/Guitar) Josh Tussin (Drums)
Parting Shots by Guns For the good guys (2005)
Listen on Sound Cloud
The loudest band we ever incarnated as. We played every dive on the North Side of Chicago. We had no idea what we wanted in the studio, but we knew how to get it. The result is a raw, exuberant record where we truly embrace our mid 20’s without the millstone of finesse weighing us down. Recorded by Eric Block at Semaphore in Chicago. I might have a few copies left on CD.
James Barry (Vox/Guitars/Keys) Rip Cantelmi (Drums) Shawn McKown (Vox/Guitars/Keys) Mack “10% of 0” Reed (Bass)
The SUN & TV by ERIC PIPER AND THE MELTDOWNS (2003)
Listen on Sound Cloud
The first recorded collaboration between me, Rip Cantelmi, Joe Jung & Shawn McKown! When I saw the other 3 playing at a college party, I seethed with jealousy and “Pauled” my way into the band (ditching my guitar for bass) and I haven’t stopped writing and recording with Shawn since. An affectionate and frisky document of our time in the quiet corner of Connecticut as some of us finished up grad school at UConn, and others of us worked at Paul’s Pizza or Buck-A-Book. Recorded by founding member Joe Jung at his apartment studio in Willimantic, CT.
James Barry (Vox/Guitars/Bass/Keys) Rip Cantelmi (Drums) Joe Jung (Vox/Guitars/Lap Steel/Banjo) Shawn McKown (Vox/Guitars/Keys/Bass)