Andy Bilinski “the meaning behind nothing is everything” (Independent, 2007)

Over-earnest singer-songwriter fare

The over-earnest songwriter club is not short of members but it seems that there’s always room for one more and Andy Bilinski walks the membership requirements. His new album, from pretentious? moi? title to final note is the perfect example of someone who has a certain amount of talent but seems unable to simply let it flow, but instead insists on over-metaphoring and adjectiving his songs until any meaning, and indeed listener interest, is swamped and lost. It doesn’t help that he appears to be at least partially resident in France, as that adds a whole new layer of over-elaboration, whether it’s the trying too hard line “I’m just a raincoat Paris 1903” in the trying too hard song “The Artist”, or setting “Rue de Varenne” in the Rodin museum to be found on said boulevard in Paris.

The one exception to the general vibe is, somewhat surprisingly, the opening track “Paper Airplane”, which swings along in a much more traditional Americana way, urgent guitars on a musician’s road song. But everywhere else it’s lovelorn indie singer-songwriter all the way, whether it’s “Silver Gull Motel” and its breathy “wherever I lay my hat that’s my home” message or the dreadfully overwrought “Breathe”. Somewhere in almost every song there’s a kernel with a good idea, a meaningful thought and even occasionally a half-decent melody, but finding it is just too much like hard work.

Date review added:  Thursday, April 03, 2008
Reviewer:  Jeremy Searle
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  Andy Bilinski MySpace site