“Young, Yet Weathered and Knowledgeable”

Musician & Lyricist Justin Andrew’s blue-jeans and bare feet music

Review by R.A. Moore

As much as I appreciate the twists and turns that the music entertainment business impales us with, I cannot help but appreciate when a new, young artist flips the pages of the calendar back and melds vintage composition and method with fresh modern lyrics. After all, I was born during the “Summer of Love” to a young mother who was always experimenting with the innovative music changes that were to become ground-breaking foundations for future artists. So, on the rare occasion that I am exposed to someone who has found a good recipe, I have to take a taste.

Justin Andrew soars onto the scene carried on a lofty breeze with the aromas from a time of ragged bell-bottom jeans and barefoot crusades for peace and love.

As the first tranquil melodies of tracks like Roses from his previous “Pillars” days and Be still don’t cry, from his new release titled Transplant invade your senses, the deep acoustic tones and heart-felt lyrics send your psyche into mellow-mode. His song writing instantly invokes personal memories of life, love and loss in a world where we are all steadily becoming blue-collar.

In an era of weak song writing, he offers up a fresh, unpolluted air of creativity, reminiscent of a time of legendary wordsmiths from the late 60’s and early 70’s like, Woodie and Arlo Guthrie, Simon and Garfunkel and Don Maclean, just to name a few.

Based out of the Pittsburgh scene, he brings his folk acoustic design with a feel of casual conversation interlaced with the agile use of steel guitar, organ tones and drum brushes in the backdrop, sending you on a rainy-day excursion, where you are the voyeur, peeking into the soul of Justin Andrew the lyricist and musician.

As I listened to the tracks he has on his Myspace page, I realized that his personal tone and style of vocals was the modern and fresh touch that brought his arrangements full circle to the present; a young, yet weathered and knowledgeable feel to his words.

The songs off the new e.p. Transplant, like “Fuses,” “Clarke County, Oh,” and “Haunting” have a subtle Western stride. I felt as if I were given the treat of a ballad told by a cowboy poet like Chris Ledoux while sitting riverside in the mountains of Montana.

If I had to sum Justin Andrew up, which I do, I would say that his works so far are solid, his lyrics are solemn and personal and his skills as a musician sharp and focused. The sincerity to his songs are palpable and speak to the simple day to day existence of us all, which can’t help but be entertaining.

Justin Andrews’ interpretations mature the more times you listen and I can see them weathering time and filling a different void depending on where you are in life at any given moment.

My advice . . . go throw on an old pair of your favorite jeans, kick your shoes off, grab a spot under a shade tree and give Justin Andrew a listen.

2 thoughts on “Urban Folk

  1. Pretty cool post. I just came by your site and wanted to say
    that I have really liked browsing your posts. In any case
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  2. Great Review Posting! Gives me the feel of the music and the aura of the artist as a whole. Your postings always draws one in until they have to go listen to the music if they’ve never heard it and makes one go listen again if they have!

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