After Manchester Orchestra’s 2006 tour featuring big players Brand New, and their last tour with Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band, Andy Hull is a name heard more and more often in the upcoming music scene. Known for the lightness of his voice and its ability to throw a punch mid-song, hearing the stripped down sound of his more folksy side project, Right Away, Great Captain! is a pleasant change of pace.
Releases from this project are the first two of three installments- a concept album set around the story of a 1600’s sailor who witnesses an affair between his wife and brother, just before leaving for a three year sabbatical. This album is about the mental and emotional struggle of a man betrayed, as he works to come to a conclusion as to what all this will do to change his life. The combination of pain and the isolation of ones own thoughts in a life out to sea form the roots of Hull’s songs in this project.
However, first time RAGC listeners need not worry- being well versed in the back-story is not necessary to relate to the lyrics, but having heard part one-The Bitter End does give an entirely different kind of appreciation for the story.
There is a definite sense of progression in this album, both in story and musically. The entire tone of The Eventually Home has a lighter feel, with melodies in the same vein of Neutral Milk Hotel, giving an air of acceptance and some hints of anger, replacing the distraught emotions that dominated The Bitter End.
Hull continues to impress, using the same poetic delivery in the prose of his lyrics, offering brilliant choruses and one -liners. There is a broader range of instruments, more harmonies and back vocals, all of which lead to the sense of moving on this trilogy seems to be about.
Taking on a concept album, let alone one broken into a trilogy is a great feat for any musician, and the surprisingly young Andy Hull does not do less than impress with his efforts. Both installments hold certain cohesiveness, playing like a diary, each song giving an air of confession. The emotions are raw, honest, and completely relatable to the human experience. Between Manchester Orchestra and Right Away, Great Captain! Andy Hull is proving to be a top choice for any indie lover’s favorite contemporary songwriter.
Tags: Album Review
