Andrew Johnson: Exercise In Style
CD/DL/Streaming
Available 24th October
Prolific Teesside artist Andrew Johnson releases Exercise In Style, his 21st ‘solo’ album since 2002
Whilst Exercise In Style is Johnson’s 21st solo album, the actual number of releases in his own name and those under nom de plumes since 2002’s debut Pure Thoughts must be getting close to a hundred by now.
Described by the artist as ‘a clutch of punky pop songs that, for the most part, betray the album’s title,’ I was pleased to find as much variety on display as in his other various guises. Despite this, some may only be familiar with Andrew Johnson as the main man with The Southmartins, a celebration of The Housemartins and The Beautiful South and regularly does solo slots as Old Red Eyes, honouring the songs and sound of Paul Heaton rather than a recording artist in his own right…
Maybe ironically, possibily by design, the first track, Exercise In Style, the one that’s set to grab you is very much in the Heaton/Abbott mold, with Johnson trading lines with fellow Teessider Jen Dixon. The familiarity of the title track definitely will have the casual listener tempted to continue whilst satisfying long term fans and friends.
As with most of his releases, the album has been written, performed and recorded by Andrew at his home studio and his eclectic tastes and musicality are on show throughout. Recent single Soul Storm for example being influenced by an unholy marriage of The Smiths and Fontaines DC whilst Pepper Spray could easily have been an inclusion on a Mo’ Wax compilation as the electronic beats and synthesised vocals take hold.
Taking nothing away from the rest of the album, Inertia, is worth the price of entry alone and features my favourite of all Johnson’s vocal performances to date… ever… and it could just possibly be his best. If you can imagine John Barry producing a movie theme by the singer of the fourth best band in Hull, then you’re somewhere close…
Happy Clouds is a jaunty trip down memory lane with 90’s indie feel, and the instrumental Atomic Mushrooms living up to its title, starting like a 1967 Pink Floyd track before melting into a Stereo MC’s groove… the first couple of times I heard it was I was expecting some vocals… but they never came. Alibi Scream is more ‘stripped back’ tracks on this eclectic album, the understated flow of the tune underpinning and complimenting the vocals but never taking over…
After another recent single, Negative Space we’re in the home straight. Death To Yatch Rock is the penultimate number, starting with sun-drenched harmonies it then takes an unexpected turn, with it going all Baz Luhrmann in some sections. For a lesser artist you would dismiss it, but Johnson gets away with it due to his magpie like ability to find things and bring them together to create something new.
Exercise In Style closes with Paths Of Desire, a contemplative acoustic number which, if it wasn’t for Inertia would well be the highlight of this release for me.
If you’ve seen Andrew Johnson performing other people’s songs previously but not heard his own, this is a great place to start…
Find Andrew Johnson via his LinkTree
Photo Supplied by Andrew Johnson
All words by Iain Key. See his author profile here or find him via his LinkTree
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