Canadian singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andy Shauf has just released the first single from his upcoming full length release Neon Skyline on the Anti Records label due out January 24th 2020. Shauf’s last album The Party released in 2016 was a pop masterpiece. A concept album of sorts exploring all the different angles of a party weaving in details of the participants lives. Shauf has been on the music scene since 2009 and has toured with The Lumineers among others.
The new song titled Try Again explores new pop territory while still maintaining Shauf’s quirky style. The song begins with a more up tempo rhythm and adds familiar ingredients but re-imagined through Shauf’s instrumental lens. Sparse guitars, synths and clarinets accompany the driving drum beat. One of the things that Shauf brings to the sonic table is his unique sounding voice and his ability to play with the traditional song structure. Tight vocal harmonies are an integral part of Shauf’s sound and are used here with care and craftsmanship. Try Again has elements of Paul Simon’s influence here with the rapid fire delivery of some of the lyrics, but is not a rip in any way. Shauf always seems to be able to write songs about interactions between people which in the hands of a lesser writer would seem boring and predictable. A hallmark of Shauf’s style is the ability to let the listener behind the scenes into a very intimate world full of truths and failures, on the other hand Andy Shauf’s world seems like a fun place to visit stand in the corner and soak up all the characters in the room of his mind.
Dave Dembitsky
Contributing Writer At Custom Made Music Mag
