Music Review: Trouble Andrew album salutes new wave, punk and hip-hop
Skate rat turned professional musician Trevor Andrew, of the band Trouble Andrew, is putting electronic surf-crunk-rock on the map with his debut album titled “Remixed & Remastered.”
The album features a variety of sounds that Andrew has heard and loved throughout his years as a skateboarder and snowboarder.
Most of the tracks on the album feature fast bass lines that have been influenced by a compilation of lively punk-rock and a range of new wave music.
Take the track “Bang Bang,” featuring Santigold, for example.
The song opens up with a frenzied bass line accompanied by an equally fast snare and thumping drumbeat.
Sanitgold was actually the person that turned Andrew to music.
While cooped up in Santigold’s house on a skating injury, Andrew tried various guitars, a drum machine and keyboards.
Santigold then bought Andrew a four-track recorder, and he began recording the tracks featured on “Remixed & Remastered.”
The album as a whole is a grungy salute to new wave, punk-rock and hip-hop loving crunk-heads worldwide.
Andrew’s vocals come off as whiney yet sweet in the track “Be Free.”
The song opens with a deep bass nod to classic hip-hop rhythms like the Beastie Boys in “License to Ill,” only layered with an onslaught of electronic rhythmic patterns and a little less slamming grunge guitar work.
Although the vocals are a bit tiresome and repetitive, the upbeat tempo and electronic beats more than make up for Andrew’s lack of lyrical content.
The album is simply a delight to listen to. The songs are perfect listening preparations for a night out on the town.
The track “Pimp Millennium” stands out in a long list of key tracks to listen to.
The song is driven by off rhythm beats and features simple lyrics such as: “I’m a god damn pimp. You know this. You know this. You know this. You better bow down to me.”
The true brilliance in the song is the feeling of swagger and energy that Andrew leaves you with by the end.
The ’80s are relived in the snare driven track “No Good.”
The song, which features the same up-tempo bass, reminds you of the good old days of synth-focused choruses that leave you bobbing your head and asking for more, and you can’t help but notice vocals influenced by Billy Idol as Andrew rapidly recites his lyrics.
Another example is the opening song “Chase Money” which, like the rest of the album, sounds like new wave music from the ’80s meets punk in a hip-hop fused melody about a woman dating men only because of the money they have.
“Couldn’t love this chick. It’s a trick she’s a flirt. Yeah she got a lot going, pink lips and a short skirt. Color contacts in your eyes. Yeah I’m surprised. Wanna get rich, get your fix from another guy. Cause you. chase money for love,” Andrew sings.
The right listening mood is a necessity when picking up “Remixed & Remastered,” but what you find will be a solid album that will make you need to bob and dance your worries and troubles away.
Music Review: Trouble Andrew album salutes new wave, punk and hip-hop
Eastern head coach Jim Schmitz will send a letter to the Ohio Valley Conference office in protest to warnings issued after Eastern senior second baseman Jordan Tokarz was thrown behind following a home run Saturday.