BEST TRACKS: Neon Skyline, Living Room, Try Again, Changer
FCC violations: Where Are You Judy, Thirteen Hours, Living Room, Fire Truck
Listen if you like: Jens Lekman, Bedouine, Faye Webster
“Essentially it’s an album about nothing”.
On January 24th, Andy Shauf released his highly anticipated follow up to his 2016 album, The Party. Just as The Party was, The Neon Skyline is another concept album in which all of the songs take place in the span of one night. The basic gist of the story is one many of us are probably familiar with: The narrator heads off to a bar with his friend, where he soon learns that his ex is in town. After that shocking news, he’s forced to revisit the and wade through the memories of their failed relationship. If you’re wondering if our narrator eventually sees his ex…I guess you’ll just have to listen to the whole story!
The album opens with the title track, (my favorite off the record) Neon Skyline. The gentle guitar and Shauf’s melodic voice – perfect for storytelling, do a wonderful job of setting the mood for the rest of the album. Sprinkled throughout the rest of the songs you’ll hear dashes of country, indie, and jazz intermingling with his usual folk / soft-rock sound.
Make sure you have ample time to listen to this album the whole way through. You’ll be so caught up in the fictional story that Shauf has brilliantly created that you won’t want to stop it for anything. If you need a quiet, peaceful album to listen to and enjoy during some much needed R&R, look no further. Put in your ear buds, close your eyes, listen and enjoy.
I hope you’ll add this wonderfully refreshing and endearing album to your “must listen to” lists soon – you won’t regret it!
-miss monet <3