Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Andy LAtham - Dearest Automation

11/23/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
Andy Latham

Dearest Automation
self-released; 2016

3.6 out of 5

By Dom Eagle
​
Andy Latham is an indie-rock artist recording in Chicago. Given his own side-business, which creates guitar pedals, Latham clearly has a deep love for music. He’s been a songwriter for more than a decade and recently built a home studio to try and create higher-quality music. Joining the growing world of independent home-musicians, given the affordable nature of music software, Latham has recorded, programmed and released an album to showcase his work entitled Dearest Automation. 

Dearest Automation is a ten-track release and it opens with a rather unique track entitled “The Advance.” Softly played piano notes, acoustic guitar and jazzy, stylistically-lazy drumming all combine to create a folky, intricately rhythmed piece. Latham’s vocals drone in a spacey, psychedelic manner, washing over the complex multi-layered mash of instruments. The chorus boasts a Muse-esque bass buzz and sliding, reverberating guitar which floats off into the deepest depths of the cosmos.

Almost as if written, sung and performed by a different artist, “Surrounded by the Sound of the Rain” is a garage-rock anthem driven by a loud-quiet dynamic and heartfelt, powerful, but soothing vocals from Latham. A gentle, simplistic, guitar arpeggio supports Latham’s nostalgic lyrics, which pose questions such as, “If I turn my head, will you be there?” Meaty power chords tear through the chorus and add a dimension to Latham’s music unseen on the opener. Some may not like such diversity within a single album, but personally I find it adds scope for greater exploration and avoids falling into the trap of creating ten scarcely-separable, dull tracks, all for the sake of a good flow.

“A Quick Silver” is another intriguing track. A catchy bass rhythm, matched by a synth organ, progresses the track onwards. This song boasts alien synth patterns, crashing drums and occasional bursts of quietly-chugging guitar in the verses and explosive chords in the chorus. Latham’s vocals drone into the furthest reaches of this spacey, alien track, but the highlight of this track is the several different, catchy, simultaneous synth and guitar patterns. Layering and production seem to serve Latham well on this release.

​This is truly an epic display of Andy Latham’s efforts. His programming knowledge and experience with sound quality, along with guitar pedals, is quite evident on this album. Musically, I found the diverse songwriting to be the most interesting aspect of Dearest Automation. With everything from garage rock to psychedelia, this release has something for all lovers of independent rock music.
Tweet
1 Comment
Nancy Harlan
12/4/2016 07:39:50 am

Fantastic review! We are all very proud of you, Andy!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band
© Divide and Conquer 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact