Label: ANTI-
Released: 19th November 2021
Rating: ★★★★
A surprise album release isn’t necessary the novelty it once was, but to those in the know, Andy Shauf more than holds the attention.
Recorded at the same time as last year’s ‘The Neon Skyline’, ‘Wilds’ is as much a companion piece to its predecessor as it is a record in its own right – nine songs culled from fifty, created at a point when Shauf lost confidence in ‘The Neon Skyline’’s central narrative. To shake the block, he switched to writing songs about a woman named Judy.
It’s the emotions and ideas beneath the surface that really give ‘Walls’ its impact, though. A flipped coin on an existing story, difficult emotions and new perspectives make it an occasionally painful but always satisfying vignette; one that proves Andy Shauf’s innate talent beyond doubt.
