Mike Andrews preview

Mike Andrews
Schubas, Chicago
Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Former Greyboy Allstars founder Mike Andrews is pretty well connected, but he’s still one miserable son of a bitch.

Andrews deserves credit for scoring *Donnie Darko, *Me And You And Everyone We Know, and the TV series “Freaks And Geeks.” His artistic network runs from Inara George and Metric to Brendan Benson and watercolor artist Geoff McFetridge. But his debut solo LP, which he had to reportedly be coaxed into due to nearly immobilizing shyness, is concerned with impending loneliness.

Opening with the key-shifting “Something Already Happened Again,” *Hand On String (Elgin Park) wraps an art pop melody and voice around a tale of gunshy sociopaths unable to leave one another. The album gleans special dispensation from maestros such as Jim O’Rourke, David Grubbs, and Archer Prewitt for its offbeat melodies, though its tone and rainy day demeanor are pure Nick Drake, like reaching around in the dark and finding nothing for hours. Lyrically, Andrews has an almost god-like existence where nothing begins or ends; he’s constantly in stuck relationships, conveniently ignoring the guile that sprouted these ventures in favor of emotional attrition.

Biirdie opens.

— Steve Forstneger

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly