Solid Americana songwriting; melodic, sometimes clever, always heartfelt.

As in his two previous solo outings, Barrett makes much of the music on Give ‘Em What They Want himself, but there are plenty of guest appearances by friends and peers. Featured performers include Jim Lauderdale, Walt Wilkins, and Stuart Duncan, plus Gurf Morlix and Buddy Miller sharing vocals with Barrett on the single “3 Young Alleycats.” Credited to “3 Ol' Alleycats,” the song is a reminiscence of the days gone by when Morlix, Miller, and Barrett were knocking around Austin. In it, the three declare wistfully, “The universe will never be the same again,” but then muse “How long we can howl at the moon, no one can tell.” The music is solidly Americana, with nods to influences as diverse as The Band, Little Feat, and Gram Parsons, all of whom Barrett cites as inspirations. At times the songs lean toward the country side of things, as in the slyly humorous, two-step inducing “Elephant In The Room” (with Lauderdale on harmony vocal.) But there are also introspective singer-songwriter moments, notably in “If I Only Knew How,” with Barrett finding himself unable to help those close to him who need it the most.