Andrewesley is one of those acts I ended up catching by accident at Cornerstone this year. I was in between shows, hanging out, and talking to some folks at the Gallery Stage, and decided to stick around. It was one of the best decisions I made all week. Simply put, this is one of the best albums I have heard this year.
"History" opens with an REM sound, then laments the state of the world, and the hypocrisy of those who criticize it. "One Step Closer" is the cry for help for a friend. "All I Want to Say" touchingly reveals what one hopes is the beginning of something big:
What I know of you
I fill my mind with
But I wanna know more
There are doors waiting to be opened...
"Look Inside" is U2-like in tone (at least at the onset), and also in lyric. It points out the need for people to change themselves before they can take on the task of changing the world. Compare U2's "Rejoice" with the lyrics here, and the two songs work well as companion pieces.
"From Within" is outstanding, and calls on us to find our strength when things get rough. Strength has maybe the best mix of any album I've listened to for a while (Bill Bowman does a masterful job with leveling vocals and music). And, as with any Marathon project, the presence of Jeff Elbel does nothing but to add to the enjoyment of the record. Andrewesley will receive strong consideration for my best new artist pick this year.
4 tocks
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