Slow a… Read Full Bio ↴Barzin is a Canadian singer-songwriter named Barzin Hosseini.
Slow and melancholic, introspective and confessional: These words in some ways describe the sound of Barzin. A project that began sometime in 1995, Barzin was a solo endeavor at its inception. But somewhere along the way it shed its solitary skin allowing a wide array of characters into it’s sound. From amongst a rotating cast of musicians, who occasionally made appearances on recordings and at performances, three individuals slowly became a fixture of this project. The three characters in question are Mike Findlay, Suzanne Hancock, and Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers). On 2003, Barzin released its self-titled debut album through the Montreal based label, Where Are My Records. The following year an E.P. titled Songs for Hinah, was released through the French based label, Hinah. And in 2006, the second full-length album titled My Life in Rooms was released in Canada through Weewerk Records and in Europe and U.S. through Monotreme Records.
Barzin's second album, entitled My Life In Rooms, walks a minimalist line between chamber pop, alt-country, and indie rock. This collection of songs leans toward the melancholic writing of such bands as Tindersticks and Mojave 3. Barzin fuses instruments such as French horn, vibraphone, pedal steel, and a drum machine to create a unique, quiet music that is expansive and at times cinematic, while never losing its sense of intimacy or honesty. Barzin, Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers) and Suzanne Hancock were the central musicians on the album, while Don Kerr, Sandro Perri (Polmo Polpo), Tamara Williamson, Lewis Melville, and Matt Verta-Ray (Heavy Trash) all helped shape its remarkable sound. The lovely string arrangements were scored by Karen Graves (who also arranged Hayden's Skyscraper National Park)
On his new and latest album, "Notes to an Absent Lover" (Monotreme Records) Barzin leaves behind the sonic experimentation that played such a central role in "My life in Rooms." He brings together a new cast of musicians (Nick Zubeck, Marshal Bureau, Darren Wall, Robbie Grunwald) for this album. With the addition of these new musicians, a new range is introduced to the songs as well as to the overall sound of the album.
"Notes to an Absent Lover" brings new textures and colors to the Barzin palette. The album balances the introspection of his earlier work with up-tempo orchestral arrangements that provide a richly melodic heartbeat to these glowing confessionals. Personal but never indulgent, the raw honesty of the lyrics details universal themes of sorrow, regret and anger, evoking all the vulnerability and shifting emotions confronted in the wake of a shattered relationship.
"Notes to an Absent Lover" was recorded by Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith) and Jeremy Darby (Pink Floyd, Lou Reed), and mixed by Chad Irschick and Darryl Neudorf (Neko Case, The New Pornographers).
Nobody Told Me
Barzin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I did not feel like myself
I had come to forget
A pretty girl with auburn hair
There's no God in my blood
Yet she still remains
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
So I drove, I drove around
The city lights, they made me drunk
But then longing came
And took me back, back to her
Sometimes I wonder
How long before she's gone?
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
In Barzin's song "Nobody Told Me," we see the inner conflict of a person who seems to be grappling with intense feelings of love and regret. The song opens with the singer waking up in a stranger's house, feeling disconnected from himself. He's trying to forget the memory of a pretty girl with auburn hair, but despite the fact that he claims there's "no God" in his blood, he can't seem to shake the hold she has on him.
Throughout the song, we see the singer wrestling with his emotions as he drives through the city, seeking some release from the longing he feels for this girl. He wonders how long she'll remain in his head, knowing that forgetting her is easier said than done. The repetition of the line "nobody told me forgetting could be so hard" emphasizes the difficult nature of moving on from someone who has left such a profound impact on your life.
The lyrics of "Nobody Told Me" are both melancholic and beautiful, showcasing Barzin's talent for capturing complex emotions in his music. The song speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak, and the difficulty of letting go of someone we love.
Line by Line Meaning
I awoke in a stranger's house
I woke up in an unfamiliar place
I did not feel like myself
I felt out of place and not myself
I had come to forget
I came here to forget something
A pretty girl with auburn hair
A beautiful girl with red hair
There's no God in my blood
There's no divine intervention in my life
Yet she still remains
But I still think about her
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
I didn't know it would be so difficult to forget
So I drove, I drove around
I got in my car and drove
The city lights, they made me drunk
The lights of the city were overwhelming
But then longing came
But then I started to miss her
And took me back, back to her
And I found myself returning to her
Sometimes I wonder
I often think about
How long before she's gone?
How much time do I have before she's gone from my life?
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
I didn't know it would be so difficult to forget
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
I didn't know it would be so difficult to forget
Nobody told me forgetting could be so hard
I didn't know it would be so difficult to forget
Contributed by Adam N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shadiyousefian
Loved it as always.
@anniespoolhouse
great song and video. love the projector.
@nienteebasta
Canzone Meravigliosa tratta da un disco Capolavoro. .
@Robinhood56
Non ho ancora ascoltato l'ultimo disco di Barzin ( ma possiedo i due precedenti ) e non vedo l'ora di farlo ! Amo profondamente questo autore, la sua musica e persino la sua tristezza... Quella tristezza che in fondo tutti noi ci portiamo dentro e che accompagna le nostre solitudini in un mondo fatto di apparenze e falsi miti.... Come una casa vuota e fredda che tutti tentiamo disperatamente di riempire e riscaldare.. Splendido brano e splendida descrizione visiva !
@Jmystudio
a beautiful video which belies its shoestring budget.
@nvaiani31
Lo conosco personalmente ed e' una persona stupenda e grandissimo musicista
@maiajintcharadze7485
Nobody said it was easy, no one ever said it would be this hard