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Andy Tromans: Chaux
[self-released]

As an interesting change of pace for my ears, I've been listening to Andy Tromans album Chaux.  I'm not sure what chaux means, but it is used to describe an instrumental track, "Warm Rain (Chaux)," on the 11-song album.  Interestingly, several of these eleven songs go for over five minutes.  There is a mix of vocal tracks along with a few instrumental interludes, and both types of songs come off in an interesting sort of way.  The whole album has a very stripped down sound; many songs revolve around Andy and his guitar in sort of a folk rock style, but the tempo of some of the songs like "In the Box" can be pretty fast, so folk doesn't really cover the bases completely.

I'd imagine that Andy's songs would appeal to some people and maybe sound a bit strange to others.  His subtle Irish accent (I think it's Irish) gives a nice flavor to the storytelling in his songs, and there's a lot going on in most of them.  The lyrics are a bit unusual, but that opens them up for your mind to wander a bit.  It's kind of nice to hear someone writing songs in an unfamiliar pattern.  Now that I've said that, I remember who he reminds me of a bit: The Kings of Convenience.  The big difference is that the Kings prefer a mellow style, and Andy puts a bit more emotion and perhaps energy into his singing.  My favorite song here is probably "Celestial Taxis," which has a very unique feel to it.  Kind of like Simon and Garfunkel in an odd way, this song has a bit of a timeless feel to it; the lyrics have some strange but interesting imagery creeping up in them, which reminds me of Suzanne Vega more than anyone else.

The CD is a self release, with barely even a record label to back it, but Andy Tromans comes off as a sincere artist who enjoys his work and enjoys the chance to share it.  I think he is touring a bit in the UK, and after hearing his album, I hope his songs find a few good open ears.

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