by Dan O

I was asked by andrew if I would be interested in writing a description for his new album with Steel Tipped Dove. I had already listened to the project and knew it was very different from any of his previous albums. That is one thing that made me fully committed to writing the description. Being there to commentate as andrew and dove break new ground…is exactly what I started this to do. Here is my write up:

“moldy” is when I knew I was trapped somewhere with no exit. The song grinds itself like gears just askew enough to scream at the world. So good, so far, next week and next month, today and tomorrow. The words kept changing positions and hitting me from different angles. Is this about how expensive car repair is?

It took the audience a while to get past the candy coating to the depression in the middle of andrew. Beyond his melodic hooks and giant-sized soul samples was death and the grind of an endless workday. It took steel tipped dove’s fearless production to put us face to face with what he’s been sneaking us. “bad teeth” sounds like a Fatboi Sharif song with angry monsters in the not too far distance. “double sided gun” orients around a jarring feedback sound. dove’s bag is different from project to project. This one has real Punk Rock confidence, not on a mission to annoy the audience with weird noises but assured that if he does happen to, it will work out. He’s Johnny Thunders smirking at the audience, hearing the next lick before it rings through their faces.

The pain at the center of andrew’s music is very Michel Gondry. The way in which these words are conveyed is as important as their meaning. Listen to the hook on the first song (big red) as his nimble writing takes shape a familiar phrase gets stretched and jammed into itself sending the words in formations unfamiliar, picture a sentence structure accordion. Later in the album he says roman candle exploding andrew and you wouldn’t have it any other way! Gondry paints with design as much as script but he’s not tricking you. andrew’s jokes always have the ghost of Elliott Smith behind them. “Am I Beaker or am I Bunsen Honeydew? Today am I just suicidal or am I funny drew?” These two had to come together now. dove has a way of making you face your next phase and jump. Our friendly neighborhood “curious phrase” phenom needed an In Utero and that’s what we get. Good luck finding a way out.

listen and purchase below:

https://fusedarrow.bandcamp.com/album/the-trumpets-obviously-been-drinking