Andy Sizemore – Singles

Andy Sizemore – Soundcloud Page Review

Cool! It’s not too often you get to review a music collective as opposed to the scores of albums, EPs and single reviews this particular indie-journalist goes through. After talking briefly with the creator behind these new sounds – I got a real sense that Andy is looking towards that next step…where to take this music next. Is there a market out there for music like this? Are the songs themselves ‘finished?’ What about comparable sounds – are there any? By this point – I’m sure there are many of you out there wondering exactly what’s happening here in these tunes…so let me fill you in…and together – let’s help out our new friend Andy Sizemore…

So. First of all…is there a market for this? Emphatic YES. In fact – I’d go as far as saying this very review nestles itself inside a warm community of music-loving-open-minds that I know will give the music the chance it deserves. I know firsthand that there’s a market for songs like this – I used to make very similar sounds myself! And it always depends on the goals overall themselves…I’m not saying that Andy is going to pack stadiums full with tunes like “Journey To The Center Of The Soul” or “Feel It In The Air,” because I don’t believe that’s what they’re FOR. They’re good tracks in their own respect – but if the goal for him is to reach a U2-like status and pack people like sardines into coliseums…that’s not going to happen…at least not overnight!

What we do have here…is an interesting mix of sounds, and potentially…some glorious moments on film through possible soundtrack work. A lot of what Sizemore brings to the table would work extremely well with the cinematic screen. The music is often sparse….spread out….not ever really feeling FULL… And I think, really, at the heart of it all, this is what Andy Sizemore really wants to know about his music; is there enough here? When you listen to a track like “Memories Past And Future” – you might find yourself wanting for more to happen…tracks like this might not be enough to stand alone on their own for most people.

I say for most, because I don’t want to necessarily include myself in the top-40 crowd. I listen to music like Colleen, Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, TomandAndy, Boards Of Canada, Aphex Twin….the list could go on for days and you know it – but the point is that many of our favorite artists DO make music just like this on a regular basis…and sometimes we don’t even know it. Take a look at people like Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, or even the epically-talented Mike Patton – these are some of our most fantastical musical-geniuses of modern-day…but would you recognize them from their soundtrack work and original-scores? It seems to me, after a thorough listening through Andy Sizemore’s Soundcloud page…that his music could find an incredible home on the Hollywood screen. Going this route can literally take a song like “Memories Past And Future” and give it an entirely new life.

This music deserves a shot, as Andy has a ton of great ideas here, all recorded and ready-to-go. Take a good look over that list of comparisons in the last paragraph…and know that if you know of more than TWO of those artists and bands that you’ll certainly be a fan of Andy Sizemore. For the rest of you, and perhaps Andy himself, realize that in NOT knowing all those comparisons, that this is the standard…in fact…the standard might even be 1/5 or 0/5 for the average person…and what we’re saying by pointing all this out is that the music alone, would be considered greatly niche. And though the internet has certainly blown open the doors to a whole new group of listeners, providing nearly any genre with enough of a fan-base…well…this one genre of ambient/electronic would still find a way to lay claim to the least amount of people choosing it as their favorite. It’s a completely tough market when it comes to ear-time; people like to sing-along or generally they find a way to find something else, making it an ever-growing mountain to climb for music of this variety.

Don’t believe me? See if you don’t start singing along to Andy’s track “Grandmother Georgia” after a couple listens. This track is a large departure for Andy within this set of songs; in a dose of hypnotic & hazy old-time fun, this song works completely well. I’d be shocked and amazed if he wasn’t receiving more feedback on that one very track in comparison to the rest based on the structure of human nature alone.

It’s my true belief that Sizemore just needs to expand a slight amount more. There is zero-argument against whether or not he’s off to a great start – he certainly is…but as a listener I know I want more. What I appreciate beyond all things, is that Andy is constantly reaching for new sounds and ideas, and that from track to track I never once knew what to expect. Songs like “Visions Of Playful Madness” and “Set Your Controls For The Heart Of Supernova” were awesome discoveries to come across and display the true gift for atmosphere and textures that Andy can start up. In an appropriate twist – you’ll also notice that latter title containing a reference to the Pink Floyd title of “Set Your Controls For The Heart Of The Sun” – and though written by Roger Waters…there a large feeling of Syd Barrett’s ghost all over this particular Soundcloud page.

And if you ask me – that’s always a good indication. Part brilliance, part madness – Barrett always displayed an ingenuity in his atmospheres…and with the help of others, they were brought to full vibrant life. I think Andy has great potential and a fantastic start into a career in the music-industry that could virtually take him anywhere he wants to go with it.

Check out Andy Sizemore at Soundcloud and see what you think! https://soundcloud.com/a-sizemore

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