This 2023 album finds Andy with a lot of guests, including many he has played with often before such as Michael McClure and Dave Blackburn, but only Michael plays on three tracks and most play on just one. This feels much more like a solo release as opposed to a band, and somewhat meanders along with a lack of direction. It is ambient, new age, art rock, somewhat progressive, but for the most part this feels like an Eighties album which is somewhat lost in what it is trying to achieve. Of all his albums, this is the one I found I liked least, as while it is clever with a lot going on I discovered I was easily distracted as it did not have the purpose and drive of his others.
It feels like an album of ideas and is quite varied, so one has to wonder if these are pieces collected up over time which were pulled together for this release, as opposed to Andy sitting down and working on new material. It is a real shame as I feel that is people discovered this lightweight album without hearing his others then it is quite possible they may not discover the rest of his catalogue which contains some real gems. There is a section on “Bari’s Jive” which makes me think of the advert music which used to be played in cinemas before the main feature and that is not a comparison anyone really wants. “The Squeeger Beat” is a surf number which somewhat alleviates much of what has gone before, but I doubt this is an album to which I will ever return.
Rating: 6/10
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Links:
https://faunch.bandcamp.com/