Andy Robbins - Black & White

Singer/songwriter Andy Robbins is back and he has brought another great EP showcasing his talented brand of acoustic folk/pop with some new changes to his usual acoustic session, Black and White is the new EP written and performed by Andy Robbins who is signed to BFS Records.

Andy never fails to entertain with his music and each new release is like a breath of fresh air among a world of cover bands which seem to dominate the pub and club music scene, having reviewed Andy's work a few times before I was ready to expect the unexpected.

From the first track which is titled "Darkest before dawn" I was hooked, the catchy beat of this song is without doubt a foot tapper and as always Andy's lyrics are meaningful, my first thoughts are that they seem to delve into a reflection of someone looking back on their life, perhaps Andy's own personal experiences?

The song begins with Andy, his guitar and a steady drum beat, orchestral strings are introduced to the song adding to the bouncy melody, a piano has also been used in the mix and with each building block in place creating a beautiful "sing along" song, a great opening track in my personal opinion it made me want to dig deeper and listen to the rest of the tracks on this EP without it being a chore.

End of the line is the second track on Black and White, and my first impression was that this would fit perfectly with a movie soundtrack, perhaps along the lines of The Woman, in fact the song as whole reminded me very much of Shaun Spilane's songwriting style.

Andy's rhythmic guitar playing takes this song to a new level carrying the whole track from start to finish, the lyrics are darkly poetic and I found myself listening to this particular track several times, the riff kept my attention through the track and carried the song along perfectly, the subtle keyboards added to the melody really well pulling your attention from the riff just long enough before being brought back around by Andy's gentle vocal.

This particular tune has an almost flamenco feel to it musically and I did find it difficult at first to focus purely on the lyrics as the music was so hypnotic I kept being drawn back into listening to each separate instrument but after the second play I was able to listen properly to Andy's vocal which as usual was pleasant and melodic.

I don't think I can do this anymore is the third track on the EP and although it is similar to the first track on the EP it has a great foot tapping rhythm, this time Andy has gone for an almost soft reggae feel to the track mixed with folk/pop and even a 60's "Chet Atkins" blues style solo part way through.

I will leave it to Andy's fans to decipher the meaning behind the lyrics on this track, my own thoughts are that the song is about a man who isn't sure where his life is going and if he is with the right person, either way the song itself had my feet tapping away and like the previous tracks I felt unsatisfied until I had heard it at least a handful of times before I moved on to the next song on the EP.

Phoenix is a beautiful melodic feel good ballad, the lyrics are centered around rising above obstacles and the euphoric feeling which goes with it, the main riff is on Parr with Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" and I was reminded very much of that style of songwriting with Phoenix although it wouldn't be fair to compare the two tracks as they are both different and unique in their own way.

Andy doesn't skip a note and throughout the song his vocal keeps the listener hooked, it is as melodic and captivating as his guitar playing and I could listen to this track all day and along with End of the line this was one of my favorite tracks.

I can imagine this song being played around a campfire late at night, it is one of those songs with a feelgood tale that is mellow and relaxing to listen to, the tone of the guitar and bass push the song along smoothly with the quietly brushed drums along with the subtle introduction of strings to this song,

for a track that isn't "upbeat" in any sense of the word in comparison to the other tracks on this EP it is one of those tunes that you will find yourself returning to.

The final track Fall apart is yet another upbeat foot tapper and is very reminiscent of track 1 and track 3 in style with its bouncy beat and catchy riff, this time Andy has proved that there is much more power in his vocal than he had shown in the track Phoenix, I would like to hear more of that powerful vocal style from Andy.

It was difficult to tell if there was a bass guitar being used on this track but after tweaking my graphic eq settings I heard it placed subtly in the mix however this isn't a review of the producers excellent work but of Andy's.

In conclusion Andy Robbins has the musical skill to create a very enjoyable listening experience, his song writing ability is on par with any great storyteller and every song on Black and White is worth listening to over and over without becoming boring or tedious, I found myself hearing things I had missed the first few times, and I have to say that the mixing and production is more than professional in standard, Andy has followed a slightly new direction with this EP with the introduction of backing instruments and it appears he is on the right track.

Black and White as a whole could quite easily hold its own against releases by much more well known artists and I hope that others enjoy listening to Andy's work as much as I do, there is little more I can say about this excellent EP other than if you are looking for some great tunes that are easy on the ears then this is for you.

This modern day lyrical bard will have you captivated with his beautifully written and performed songs, not everything is black and white but there are no shades of Grey to this EP.