Sydney singer-songwriter Andrew Drummond charmed me this week with his new EP The Grey Pelican.
There’s nothing fancy here, but the five tracks are beautifully crafted. Andrew’s voice reminds me a little of Tim Freedman’s, although the anchoring presence of the acoustic guitar gives the music a very different feel from The Whitlams back catalogue.
The strong lyrics really struck me. I was so glad they were printed in the liner notes so I could pore over them. The words aren’t particularly pretty, but there’s an honesty about them that helps the songs pack a real emotional punch. The subject matter is very dark at times but it’s framed in such a clever way that we never feel bogged down.
The opening track “Morning Light” is a gentle introduction to Andrew’s music, beautifully built but paled by the haunting “Solitary Space” that followed. “I Can Feel You” is a particularly poignant name for the third song, as I truly could feel all the emotions that come with losing a loved one as Andrew sang about it. “Wander Aimless” was perhaps the weakest track, with repetition that started to feel tired towards the end rather than driving the point home. However the EP was definitely redeemed with the closing number “Northern Poet.” It’s such a gentle and poignant song, but sometimes the best numbers aren’t the ones that scream the loudest.
The Grey Pelican isn’t perfect, but it moved me. Andrew Drummond should be proud of these five songs. I look forward to seeing what comes next.