Andy Shauf brings Darker Days

Andy Shauf is a talented new singer/songwriter from Canada who is just releasing his debut album, Darker Days, tomorrow. Though he's fairly young (21), Shauf has been making music for some time, recording bedroom demos and hiding the majority of his songs from his friends and family - until recently. The new album is a collection of his favorite tunes written during that period of private recording sessions, re-imagined in the studio and presented as an engaging collection of pop-folk songs.

Shauf prefers the one-man-band approach, playing all of the instruments himself (guitar, bass, drums, banjo, etc) with only the occasional guest spot on backing vocals. The resulting sound is delicate and sparse throughout much of the record, like opener "For Your Heart," which relies on a joyful mix of guitar and light percussion, or the lovely "Crushes," which gets by on vocal harmony, guitar, and a touch of banjo. However, while Shauf generally keeps things uncluttered, he adds the appropriate flourishes to diversify and expand his simple pop style. "You Remind Me" includes some well-placed harmonica, "Gone" features gritty electric guitar, and "The Greatest Moments" rocks a funky bass line.

The album's title serves as something of a theme and is mentioned in at least half the tracks, though the material is often less dour than you might expect. It's an interesting and unusual way to keep a record cohesive, but Shauf makes it work here and the music flows smoothly from beginning to end. The first half of the album is the most enjoyable, when the tempo is more upbeat and the mood often lighter. Later, some drowsy folk numbers slow the momentum a bit too much, but the promise Andy Shauf shows on Darker Days is quite obvious. His ways with a hook and love of pop melodies makes him an artist to watch, so I recommend you get acquainted.

Check him out on MySpace or head over to P is for Panda where you can download the album for a measly five bucks.

Review: Good Old War - Only Way To Be Alone (* * * *)

Former Days Away band members, guitarist/singer Keith Goodwin and drummer Tim Arnold, formed Good Old War along with guitarist Dan Schwartz after Days Away went on hiatus earlier this year. Whereas their previous work was focused on progressive indie rock with a bit of an emo vibe, the trio's latest effort and new band debut, Only Way To Be Alone, is a more straightforward acoustic rock album.

During the late 90s and early 00s, acoustic pop became a bit of a tired genre. Or maybe I just inundated myself with it until I couldn't take any more. At any rate, that style of music hasn't appealed to me for a while now. While almost the embodiment of the genre, Good Old War's recently released debut piqued my interest after I heard the first single "Coney Island," a clean, simple tune with well-placed vocal harmonies and tasteful percussion that hijacked my ears, making me hungry for more. After listening to their whole album, I found that while the band's sound is almost too familiar, their songwriting skills and musical talent make Only Way To Be Alone an instantly likable and thoroughly enjoyable record.

Starting with a basic pop-rock template, Good Old War add layers of harmony a la The Beatles or The Beachboys, simple, yet effective flourishes, and joyful melodies that brighten the room even with the occasionally melancholy lyrics. The band's two-guitar attack with plenty of fiery finger-picking provides the perfect backdrop along with Arnold's spot-on drumming. Aside from the first single, the rollicking "Just Another Day," the gently sad "I'm Not For You," and "Tell Me" would be my recommendations, though the album's subtle tempo and stylistic changes (some blues, a little twang) will probably provide different favorites depending on the listener.

Only Way To Be Alone, despite the primarily acoustic sound and folksy presentation, is a pop record at heart. It's a simple, yet effective collection of songs so positive and pleasant, even the most hardened music snob will find it hard to resist.

Good Old War's MySpace page