Music
Press
A twenty-five minute EP is not a lot of time for an artist to make a statement. One must often choose to either demonstrate a wide range, or present a limited snapshot representative of a broader catalogue. How rare a gem to find an EP that does both.
Andrew Sullivan’s Lately achieves this, showcasing over the course of just seven songs the Texan’s country-tinged songwriting style, which stirs in bouncy, adult contemporary vibes reminiscent of Jason Mraz and swaying, bluesy lamentations with equal ease. Most impressively, it’s all done while maintaining a sense of cohesion. These songs belong together, and are only as different as they are similar.
The songs seem ordered to specifically highlight the range. The straight-ahead acoustic pop of Undeniably Happy is juxtaposed against the considerably more country Quarter Past Two; the upbeat fun of Lately against All Because, a ballad that cries out for inclusion in the Great American Songbook of the 21st century. While the album has several songs that could climb their way up contemporary charts, All Because has the air of a classic about it. It’s a song that would go equally well on a first date or at a wedding, and would still carry all of its charm on the 50th anniversary.
A large part of the appeal is Sullivan’s presentation. The production quality is extremely high for a first, independent release. Even with a full band behind him, the vocals are clear and strong, maintaining the spirit of a single performer, alone with his guitar, in the midst of a warmer overall sound.
Lyrically the album maintains the high standards elsewhere set, rich with sentiment yet keeping a safe distance from sappy. There is no push or pull to get thoughts to fit into lines; the words are perfectly chosen for the meter, expression keeping pace with style and yet still slipping in syllables here and there like sidelong smiles. Perhaps the only caveat to this general truth is Whenever You’re Gone, which has a deliberate structure that starts out clever but by the final verse feels just a little too cumbersome to maintain the track’s charm.
Waving the listener off with a fond farewell is Like I Should, a track with an unexpected blues guitar line and just enough vocal slide to evoke the classic southern tone of American heartache. The final outro is a double chorus that simply reiterates without embellishment or overstatement. A final line, a few lingering instrumental whispers, and you’re on your way.
Andrew Sullivan has the songwriting skills to compose chart-worthy hits and a voice that is ready for radio. Lately, as a debut release, has the potential to open the doors to both. - Amy Plachta
Discography
"Where We Belong" (2012). - 10 original songs backed by a full band. Released June 30, 2012. Peaked at #81 on Amazon.com's best-selling pop albums chart. Currently streaming on several web services. Rated 5 stars on iTunes/Amazon.
"Lately" (2010). - Andrew's debut album featuring 7 original songs backed by a full band. Released September 2010 and received airplay at KTCU in Fort Worth, TX. Also streaming on several web services. Rated 5 stars on iTunes/Amazon.
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Bio
Andrew Sullivan is a 26 year old singer/songwriter from Fort Worth, Texas. Though he has only been playing professionally for the last 3 years, he has been writing and performing music since he was 13. In addition to being a vocalist, Andrew taught himself to play guitar at age 16 and is currently working on his piano skills as well. Since 2006, Andrew has had a very busy schedule, logging an average of four performances a week, adding up to more than 2,500 hours on stage in all.
Despite having a degree in Radio-TV-Film from TCU, and despite once having a job offer from ESPN Radio, Andrew has been working full-time as an independent musician since graduating in 2009. His strongest influences as a writer and performer are Jason Mraz, Dave Barnes and John Mayer, and the soulful, romantic sound they employ comes into his work frequently.
Since 2010, Andrew has independently produced and released two albums onto a host of online vendors, including iTunes, Amazon and Spotify, and has sold over 3,000 hard copies in the Dallas/Fort Worth area alone. The most recent release, “Where We Belong,” is currently receiving regular airplay at over 150 radio stations in all 50 states and all of Canada as well. In addition to the radio play, 14 cable television programs have requested licenses to use tracks from the album during their upcoming seasons.
In the last year, Andrew has shared the stage with well known artists like The Rocket Summer, Tim Halperin, and Quiet Company, and in early 2013, Andrew performed at an artist showcase during SXSW in Austin. He is currently averaging six performances a week and is also writing a third studio album, which he plans to record in Nashville later this year or in early 2014.
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