After making a strong comeback album in 2011, singer/songwriter
Andy Kim returns in 2015 with another album,
It's Decided, destined to show that people who have him pegged as a one-hit wonder don't know the whole story. Yes, "Rock Me Gently" was a big, big deal, but there's always been more to
Andy Kim than just that. The guy also wrote "Sugar Sugar," after all! This chapter features the songwriter working with his good friend
Kevin Drew of
Broken Social Scene on a set of songs about wisdom, getting older, living a good life, and other heady topics, capped by a dreamlike cover of his 1968 bubblegum classic "Shoot 'Em Up."
Drew brought along fellow indie rockers like
Dave Hamelin of
the Stills,
Ohad Benchetrit of
Do Make Say Think, and the multi-talented
John McEntire to help create a sound one could call the anti-
Rubin effect, since instead of presenting an icon in stark black and white as
Rick Rubin has most famously done with
Johnny Cash,
Drew and friends build a sweeping cloud of peaceful sound that surrounds
Kim's heartfelt lyrics and still-strong voice like a comforting pillow. It's an interesting approach that gives the songs a cinematic feel and
Kim makes the most of it, giving his simple words a concrete-heavy conviction that makes every line he sings feel important. Thanks to
Drew's behind-the-scenes work and
Kim's always impressive songwriting,
It's Decided is more than just another comeback album; it's proof that
Andy Kim is here to stay. ~ Tim Sendra