There are many phenomenal, yet unknown songwriters out there practicing their craft every day. Years of playing usually leads them to being an expert in one area of songwriting or one instrument where they really shine. The true amazing talent is the musician that is able to put together beautiful songs using many different sounds, instruments, and styles. I am glad to have discovered a man who has put it all together extremely well. Let me introduce you to Andrew Fairfowl.
Hailing from a town called Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, Andrew has been writing and playing music for over 14 years, and it shows. He has been able to master his craft in his own personal home studio where he takes on the tasks of mixing, mastering, and producing his own music. This freedom from outward pressures is evident right away as the listener can sense the honesty in Fairfowl’s songwriting. There is no fear to bare his soul through his lyrics and it is obvious that the stories he tells are personal and from the heart. Andrew’s style is acoustic driven but he uses a full spectrum of sound throughout his songs to add a depth not found very often from a one man act.
The last album Andrew Fairfowl released was Narrow Road which came to be over a year ago. The 10 track album spans many influences and styles from happy sing-alongs to darker meaningful songs. The opener ‘Brighter Skies’ is a peppy little guitar driven song that builds speed along the way and introduces the listener to the soothing organic voice of the artist. There are some organ sounds along the way that add to the warmth of the song. The simpler ‘C’mon Home’ breaks it down to suck you in to calming effect of Andrew’s songwriting but then grabs you by the neck during the chorus to really bring you into his world. The track that really stood out to me is the haunting ‘Dark Passengers’. I got a strange feel of what Ian Curtis from Joy Division would sound like if he ventured out on his own, and was still alive. The soundscape backgrounds totally encompass the listener during certain parts of the song and are stripped away at other points to let you feel his loneliness. To me this is the sign of an excellently written song.
Bottom Line: Andrew Fairfowl’s ‘Narrow Road’ is an album that has the feel of many songwriters collaborating to create a complete record. This is a testament to Andrew’s well versed talent. He has promised me that his next record ‘Mr. Traveler’ will be ready for release to the world by early spring of 2013. I look forward to it.
To let yourself into Andrew Fairfowl’s world go to: