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“You
think it’s easy, you think it’s plain/ You
think the frown upon my face/ Implies the faggot knows his place/
And it’s that easy.”
The
tone for Andy Northrup’s compelling new 12 song CD, Cardboard
Logic, released in January this year, is set by the song
lyrics it "It Ain't Easy." This accomplished gay singer/songwriter
hails from the Edmonton area in Alberta, Canada. Over the years,
Northrup has written or co-written a catalogue of over 100 songs.
He has also made a name for himself as a professional stage actor.
As a composer/lyricist Northrup has collaborated on works for musical
theater and the prestigious Edmonton Symphony. His previous CD
was the critically acclaimed Slow Burn Avenue in 2001.
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In
realizing his latest effort, Northrup has assembled a cast of
expert players to achieve a genuine folksy, bluegrass, truckin’,
soft-rock sound. With Northrup on lead vocal and acoustic guitar, the
album also features a core backup band of Pat Campbell on electric guitar,
Ed Garrick on bass and Gordon Marshall on drums. There’s also guest
mandolin, fiddle and accordion onboard to help set the down-home, mostly
country mood. Between the cozy, harmony-rich vocals and the band’s
percolating music, Cardboard Logic offers a sonic experience
that could surely keep one warm on a frosty, Alberta night. Several of
the CD’s tunes, like “Wondering” and “The Love
Your Heart Needs” have pop-hit single appeal.
As a singer,
Northrup possesses a soothing, friendly, butch baritone. His “buddy/older
brother” vocal delivery is reminiscent of the softer side of Harry
Chapin’s and Bruce Springsteen’s early, 1950s-influenced work,
and will especially appeal to gay male listeners who enjoy masculine “regular
guy” type singer/songwriters. As a self-identified “bear”
musical artist, Northrup has already developed a considerable following
in the gay ursine community.
Readily
apparent in Northrup’s songwriting are influences of Bob Dylan,
Steve Miller, Christopher Cross, Roy Orbison, as well as the above-mentioned
Chapin and Springsteen. There’s also an uncanny musical kinship
to another Canadian singer-songwriter: Dan Hill of “Sometimes When
We Touch” fame.
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