A good friend of mine from Sharpsburg, MD (which is not at the end of the world but you can, in fact, see it from there) turned me on to these cats recently and all I can say is…wow. The Golden Butter Band’s ability to flow effortlessly between rock and reggae is truly jamalicious. As it turns out they are playing this Friday, March 16th at Sweet Caroline’s in ye olde Winchester,VA…and I shall be there.
- Drago
“It’s Americana-ish!” is how Andy Hawk describes his latest studio effort with the Train Wreck Endings and if you’ve heard any of their previous work you’d find it hard to put them into one specific category or genre too. This, my friends, is a talented group of musicians that effortlessly blends folk, blues and rock into their own special brand of truly American music.
In addition to a new set of original tunes, the soon to be released disc entitled Another Storyline also includes a rocking cover of New Order‘s “Temptation” that features a mandolin as a stand in for the synths….very nice. “Sunshine Street,” my favourite original track, starts with a punchy little bass line paired with the perfect drum cadence…add in some excellent vocal harmonies and, of course, more mandolin and you’ve got a cool little ditty.
Froglix greatly appreciates Andy and company for allowing us a “sneak peek” at Another Storyline and would be remiss if we didn’t do a little pimpin’on their behalf by promoting their upcoming CD release party.
Be sure to check out www.andyhawk.com for details, tickets, etc.
- Drago
artist: Andy Hawk and the Train Wreck Endings
album: Another Roadside Attraction
genre: rock | blues | folk
listen now…
My, My
Wheel Like the Wind
I’ve listened to all of Andy Hawk’s albums including his latest release entitled Another Roadside Attraction, which, if you’re counting is his 6th studio effort overall and his 2nd with the Train Wreck Endings. All that music and I still can’t quite pin a genre on him. Above I mention (3) possibilities but even they don’t quite capture the essence that is Andy Hawk. Is “honest” a genre? Because if it is, that’s the word I choose as it best describes not only this latest release but the entire Hawk discography.
All songs tell stories and while some artists can rely solely on their music to tell their tale, others need to marry lyrics with melodies in order to effectively convey their message. Andy Hawk uses both…but he doesn’t have to…and that, my friends, is what separates good song-writing from great song-writing.
“My, My” blends contemporary rock with an upbeat alt-country feel and does so with a delivery that is fluid not forced while “Lipstick & Dynamite” has more of a Texas-blues/honky-tonk flava that makes for a very interesting contrast. The piano accompaniment that starts off and carries through “Wheel Like the Wind” would bring a tear to Jerry Lee Lewis’ eye. In fact I’m pretty sure that Steve Devries was channeling the Killer when he recorded that one! As I listen to the righteous 60′s guitar riff paired with the steady rhythmic timbre of the drums in “Ghosts of Summer Sun” I can’t help but get the feeling that I should be chilling out on a beach somewhere right around sunset. This is my point. When you pop in this disc, each track will elicit a unique feeling/response that can only come from honest music performed by a gifted story-teller.
Andy Hawk and Train Wreck Endings deliver another winner with Another Roadside Attraction.
- Drago
genre: alternative | rock
label: unsigned
listen now…
Baby Don’t Cry
Fade
Up and Down
One of the many cool things about the indie music “world” is that it provides a safe haven where artists from different musical backgrounds can find commonality. It is a place that lies beyond the reach of the long arm of corporate radio. A place where lads and lasses can truly express themselves and create some incredible music. Where else but the indie world would a band consisting of a drummer with jam band roots, a guitarist with an affinity for British rock and jazz, a bass player that likes to get his groove on, and a vocalist with more influences than Tiger has mistresses be able to pool their collective talents? While the aforementioned may sound like the cast from the Land of Misfit Toys, they most certainly are not. The band of which I opine is Arlington, VA’s Tieweb and their latest studio offering, Indier Than Thou, is a true indie gem. Justin Fazzari (vox/guitar), Eric Bayles (lead guitar), Steve Quesenberry (drums), and Chris Aylward (bass) successfully channel their collective talents enroute to crafting a unique indie rock experience that hearkens back to the glory days of REM, Grapes of Wrath, and the like, coupled with an air of contemporary relevance. Dig it.
-Drago
From the West Coast we travel back east on the wings of a hawk…Andy Hawk and the Train Wreck Endings to be exact. I was recently introduced to this talented songwriter and musician just a few short weeks ago via a mutual friend who had been bugging me incessantly to check out his music. Apparently, Andy had sent Froglix a bevy of mp3’s for us to listen to back in July…unbeknownst to us as we had a slight problem with our email and didn’t receive them until just recently (sorry ‘bout that Andy!). Our email challenges remedied, we quickly began combing through and listening to all of the great music that Andy had sent us. Thinning the herd to select a few songs for the broadcast was indeed a chore but we have pulled out some gems that we think will give our listeners a true sense of what the Hawk is all about–great song writing, excellent music and meaningful lyrics. We are jacked to be featuring songs from of some Andy’s (2) most recent albums Tin Can Town and Here It Is. With a style that is reminiscent of Petty and Dylan, Hawk delivers an original sound that is a true American classic.
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