Music Review: Band of the Week - Andrew Osenga - Page 2

Andrew Osenga’s music is an interesting fusion of folk, indie, country and roots-rock blended with power-pop. His intelligent, vivid lyrics run the gamut from passionately breathless to sweetly romantic and regret-filled melancholy. Andrew’s tangled tapestry of sound and lyric paints an ardent, stirring picture of this deep, multifaceted and truly talented young man.

His newest album, simply titled The Morning, is split into two sections, “Morning” and “Evening”. Both show the different sides of Andrew’s complicated inner self, reflecting his love, anger and impassioned joy. Andrew’s love for his wife and children, songs inspired by Hemingway characters and his questioning statements about the world we live in and life in general resonate throughout; but despite the depth of the emotion portrayed on the The Morning it maintains a playful, energetic, rock-music flavour.

The first section of The Morning, Morning, is the high-powered section. “After The Garden” is a solid, heavily guitar-influenced track with a great pop hook and raw vocals. “Following The Blind” is a power-pop/ indie rock track with Andrew’s great guitar riffs. “Farmer’s Wife” is a slightly more low key song with a roots-rock/alt.country feel to it. Overall it’s a sweet song about the hardships of, well, a farmer’s wife.

“Dance Away the City” is one of the best tracks on the album, a beautiful track about a loving couple. Lyrics like “put on a soft dress, turn down the lights/ I’ll put on a soft song, pour a little wine/ let’s move the kitchen table, let the candles fill the room”. Add the soft, swaying melodies and rhythm Andrew successfully evokes the image of a couple just holding each other close and swaying back and fourth. It’s enough to make your heart ache for a long time lover, someone with whom you have this kind of intimacy.

Article Author: A.L. Harper

I'm a writer and music journalist originally from Salt Lake City, but now living in Scotland. I was a Punk/Goth in the '80s and these artistic influences have stayed with me; although a love of Chopin, chamber music, and Spanish guitar would seem to belie this. …

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