Pic 2

Andydan - Townshend

I'd connected to Andy on facebook, one of my "common interest" connections, and Andy kindly sent me a 7" vinyl copy of his debug single "TownShend".

You'll see the single artwork opposite, and that's the shape of the record. It's square. Now, anyone who knows anything about records will know that they are usually round! It's also a 7" single size, although it plays at 33rpm. That confused me to start with.

Anyway, for a ukulele track, it starts off a bit differently, with a synthesizer backing track, a drum joins in before a bass line, and then Andy's confident vocals. The ukulele is almost an incidental, but this is a catchy tune and the title of the track is clearly an insight to the influence here.

It's a well produced track, competently played, the different instruments used clearly complementing each other.

Having started recording my own songs, I now appreciate just how hard it is to multi track, get a good recording and good mix. The whole thing is an art and more difficult than it seems. Andy has done very well here, up with the best.

This is what I love about the ukulele, so many different styles and takes on music.

I've heard some of his other original tracks and they are very promising. Along the lines of a more 'popular' music style, varied, too. He's an emerging artist, but Andy's one to watch for sure. I'm so happy to have had an insight, everyone should encourage him to release more music. You'll get an idea from the video on this page, but bear in mind that the audio is "second hand", recorded through a mobile phone!

Hopefully, we might get to see Andy at a forthcoming festival. I'm not sure about availability of his music right now, but you heard it here first!

Check out his website.

1 track, 5 minutes.

1. Townshend

Review - Simon Taylor, 6th November 2016


What is this "record" thing? Never mind, it's fun watching it go round and round.