 He has been called a "gifted pop-rock tunesmith" by "The New York Times".Barone released his first solo album, "Cool Blue Halo" (recorded live at The Bottom Line in New York) prior to the Bongos' amicable breakup in 1987.Anthony DeCurtis, writing in "Rolling Stone", praised Barone's "spare, elegant arrangements" and credited him with fashioning "a kind of rock chamber music."