Alright, so this band occupies a special sector of the IATU consciousness. Translation – this was one of the first independent bands this audiophile connected with personally, back with IATU was a one man show. I recall being approached by an ex-housemate about seeing this band he was friends with perform at the Basement, a prominent venue in Columbus. I declined. How I wish I had hopped on that train earlier. Eventually I came to my senses and caught Andolino when they opened for Paper Route in May of 2012. If this intro doesn’t foreshadow how the rest of this review is going to go, I am not sure what will.
Mellow alternative pop rock isn’t often my cup of tea. These guys pull it off well – credit good songwriting, tight musicianship, and a stellar production team at Grant Beachy’s (ex-Staple) Electric Angel Studios in Goshen, IN. Sidenote: Beachy’s team also recorded the equally stellar The End of the Ocean EP In Excelsis (post rock). The current indie band I would liken Andolino to the most would probably be We Shot the Moon. Piano doesn’t always take the lead, but it certainly sets the mood for the entirety of Sketches.
Some of the record was familiar to me from the band’s live shows. “Waiting” and “Tired and Torn,” in particular. This was good – the mellower stuff tends to be less memorable in recorded form. Repetition allowed me to appreciate these songs to the same degree as the more immediately catchy tunes like “Wooden Gun” and “South African Zealand.” The main point the band really deviates from the straightforward alternative pop-rock formula is during “Repose,” a repetitive ethereal lullaby that replaces the usual instrument suspects with a sparse electronic beat and alternating piano and synth. The drums pound the loudest, in contrast during “The Meteorologist” which pairs the arena rock beat with dreamy synth hooks. Alex Hamilton does a fine job showing off spot on vocals that take on a variety of forms and emotions. Wistful to summery handclap ridden anthems, Alex, Andrew(s), Bryant, and Seth have proven through Sketches that they very well could be a force to be reckoned with.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hg-4lzGFtI&h=297&w=450]
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