Andy Lightning and The Storm - Andy Lightning

Andy Lightning and The Storm

Andy Lightning
self-released; 2014

3.3 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

You would think a band named Andy Lightning and The Storm would have multiple members. Nope, the storm refers to something else because the Andy Lightning EP is indeed a solo effort. Lightning plays all the instruments and also recorded, mixed and mastered the album. 

From an aesthetic perspective the EP leaves a couple of things to be desired. It has all the hallmarks of DIY songs recorded on consumer gear. The guitars are too thin, the vocals need some treatment, etc. Luckily, for Lightning he has some skills in the songwriting department and his songs shine through the marginal recording quality.

The EP takes a little over ten minutes to get through. It’s like an appetizer but hopefully points to more ambitious recordings to come. It starts off with the highlight entitled “Jessica.” The first thing you hear is a field recording in a semi-crowded area that gets penetrated by perturbing female laughter.

It subsides and Lightning combines an acoustic guitar and saxophone and the results are splendid. It’s jazzy, smooth and light. His vocal work follows relatively quickly. He sings “Jessica, my love and Monica I love you too.” Lightning has a good voice but he is occasionally a bit off key. The song feels like a short three minutes and there isn’t much meat on the track but is still gets a thumbs up by me.

“Say” is an upbeat song that further establishes Lightning has a knack for songwriting. Like the first song it revolves around saxaphone and guitar. The last song “Trying Not To Think” was a deviation in terms of emotional atmosphere. It was a heavier song coated in a decent amount of melancholy.

In all honesty there isn’t much material here and thus is largely a case of wait and see. Lightning has some skill so let’s see where this goes.

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