David Andrews' new CD, "Get Me Out Of This Place," came to me perfectly wrapped in bubble stuff. It was like getting two presents in one . . . bubble wrap and a killer CD. It must have been because I got it on my birthday.
Yea me.
So, here I am listening to David Andrews, popping away and writing what will undoubtedly be another masterpiece.
For those of you who are not familiar with this talented artist, David plays with the Oregon-based group Calobo, a jam-band that makes frequent stops at the Zephyr. Its most recent was last Tuesday night.
"Get Me Out of This Place" is David's second album. His first one, "The Little Things," was highly praised by critics I never heard of . . . that's because I'm out of the "loop."
David's music is the kind that can take you back to when music was actually good and when it meant something. He has this ability to write songs that don't revolve around cliches, and even if they did, he could make the cliches sound new. If David's music was being played on the radio, you would probably wonder who that cool artist was and call the station to find out.
His voice is a bit like Bob Seger's, and his style is a combination of Jackson Browne and J.D. Souther. This isn't to say that his music isn't hip — it's classic, timeless and all those good things that make music great. David is kind of like chocolate.
The songs on "Get Me Out" are very catchy. Really, I can sing along to each of them, which kind of annoys my co-workers. My favorite track is seven, "The Wedding Song." It opens with David singing while an organ plays a gospel/blues accompaniment, then the electric guitar and drums slowly enter, and "Wedding" becomes something totally groovy. It's sounds as if it could have been on the soundtrack for the movie "The Big Chill," one of the greatest movies of all time. It defined a generation. . . . Not mine. Not my parents. But someone's.
The only bad thing about "The Wedding Song" is that it isn't long enough. It ends right as you're being swept away or inspired to do something other than work.
There are several things that "Get Me Out of This Place" might inspire you to do. Here are a few: Wear sandals to the office; buy a tent to use in the desert; buy a beach-cruiser bicycle to ride somewhere in California; call in sick and play outside all day long; dance that jam-jig; try to learn how to play the guitar; stop random people and make them listen to song number eight, "the Little Things"; or visit the pound or Humane Society and adopt a big dog.
You might also be inspired to sing along, as I have, regardless of where you might be . . . the bus, your desk, on Main Street.
Now after all this, don't you think you might want to either buy this CD or go listen to David play at the Zephyr on May 20?
I think it would be well worth the effort and the secondhand smoke.
You can reach Lucy Campbell by e-mail at lu@desnews.com