New Brunswick blues artist Andrew Moore has released his new album dubbed Moth off the back of his stint in China, where his work with music director Tan Yi Zhe opened the door to working alongside prominent artists in the region. Moore pulls no punches as he flaunts keys, strings, and poetry on this spectacular album.
Blues have always been a rather accessible way to express meaning in music, and “Sing The Blues” is one such example of Moore’s bread and butter. Moore’s suave lyrics and a guitar with high self-esteem carry us to an ending with a crunchy synth and a one-two combo of keys and strings.
“Outside Myself” displays a more pop-like aura with its instrumental effects, but that doesn’t prevent the still-organic piano and tambourine from sneaking in. The piano is especially enthralling, with quite a few complicated melodies sprinkled around.
“Cosmic Lover” has the multi-talented Moncton man display all of his credentials as he graces our ears with this nonchalant celebration of finding new peace. Deep strings, a cheeky whistle, a tubular saxophone piece, and a piano that calls the rhythmic shots all help to make this a standout in the album.
Elsewhere, “All You Ever Gave Me” is unique with it’s spunky, slow-rock influence, grainy bass, and long pauses between gentle string thrashes, “Train Smoke” blends the ever-so familiar image of stowing away in a train’s cargo section with the even more familiar lovesick theme, and “Love You To Death” represents the track’s message in its sounds, with strings and keys dancing around each other, wanting to blend together in harmony.
Finally, “What Are You Worried About” is another standout track, with the piano arguably shining the most out of the entire album, and is aided by the slow drumbeats to paint a mellow, drearily-enthralling scene.
With a plethora of credentials under his belt, including a Royal Conservatory of Music training and a degree in guitar performance from the Los Angeles College of Music, Moore’s outstanding instrumental grasp and accessible song structure makes “Moth” an album worth the listen.