Andy Shauf - The Party

Andy Shauf’s fourth album, The Party is a twist from all of his previous albums. Aside from a couple of songs, this whole album tells the story of a party and all that happens in one drunken night.

Although Andy has a very sweet and shy voice, the instrumentals of this album are what stand out. The use of strings in the song “The Magician” and instrumental harmonies give a certain kind of nostalgia to the album that adds to the linear story.

Initially, it can easily go unnoticed that this whole album is a story, but once you realize it is, it makes the whole experience of listening to The Party even better.

Andy makes a brilliant use of harmonies in each of his songs by layering the sounds especially in one the brighter songs, “Begin Again”. Another thing that really made me love this album is the diversity of the songs.

Despite it having similar lyrical context, you hear a great variation in each song. In “Alexander All Alone” there is a lot of darkness: “Alexander all alone / Felt them check his pulse / He heard them pronounce him dead / Hell is found inside of me.”

I think it's safe to say that this album cannot be classified under one genre. It has subtle hints of funk, folk, and alternative, that makes The Party all the more special. So, if you're ready, I suggest sitting down with a bowl of popcorn and enjoying this beautiful rollercoaster of an album.

By Neda Masoomifar


 

Published in Volume 72, Number 5 of The Uniter (October 5, 2017)

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