self release [Release date : 13.03.26]

Andy Smythe’s ‘Quiet Revolution’ is a contemplative, but impassioned look at contemporary times.

The album title appears to mirror the thoughts and songs of an introvert whose insightful lyrics appear to be a catalyst for resistance.

And resistance and change in Smythe’s world are the currency with which to seek an alternative to our fractured social and political culture.

In ‘Love Ain’t Free’ for example, he tackles the fall out from Brexit from a relationship perspective, rather giving us vacuous bullet points.

He further couches his view in an acoustic whirl of fiddle and double tracked vocals, as he turns his poignant lyrics into a question; “Whatever happened to liberty, free speech and dignity?”

Andy Smythe is a British Folk singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter with a locker full of observational and at times biting lyrics, which he crafts with original melodic arrangements.

His music sometimes has a retro feel – specifically the 60’s on ‘Exodus’’ – but it is counterweighted by some judicious contemporary sonic layering.

And while he builds his oeuvre on solid building blocks, you suspect it will be his voice – powerful, but at times trebly and shrill – which will determine whether the listener will drawn to his thoughtful material or not.

His vocal style in no way resembles either Tom Waits or Captain Beefheart, coming closer to the UK’s own Pete Atkin perhaps, but in many respects these artists found their fans through a perceived eclectic vocal accessibility, married to their songs.

Smythe does have the emotional charge of Tim Buckley and at times his vocal vulnerability recalls Nick Drake, but without the warmth.

He’s a keen observational lyricist and emotive singer, fired not so much by the protest inspired folk music, as the need to illuminate his own sheer incredulity of what passes for modern life.

It’s all there on the opening ‘Life of a Man’, which is a sultry shuffle, shot through with gritty social realism.

The song refreshingly shines a light on the younger generation and is given a specific UK context, while musically it is supported by horn and harp.

He later revisits the songs rage, by incorporating it into the title of the “The Rage In Me”.

The latter is an example of several recurring conceptual themes, on an album that constantly slips between the macro to the micro, as evidenced by the alternating layered sound and stripped down moments.

It’s the relationship between his flinty lyrics and intricate arrangements that give the album his own DNA.

For example, you can almost overlook his somewhat monotonous phrasing on the closing ‘Fallen Angel’, because it is subtly offset by a sumptuous production, comprising percussion, trumpet and gently strummed acoustic.

It’s his choice of accompanying instrumentation that often amplifies feel and meaning.

On the very personal ‘Tears Can Heal’ for example , he conjoins a chiming opening with a fragile sounding vocal and an unexpected string arrangement, all of which serve to connect with the song title.

Again, on ‘Half Empty, Half Full’, he evokes the song title by bringing in the band at the 1.20 mark to add musical heft to his unflinching lyrics, while the trumpet gives it a Waterboys feel.

Most impressive of all, he veers towards a percussive electro arrangement on the afore mentioned ‘The Rage In Me’, which underpins the song’s emotional impact, while adding an almost noirish feel to the track.

The overall light and shade of the album then draws us into a labyrinth of songs.

His poetic bent remains at the core of his material, with only the recycled metaphor of “Emergency 999”(on ‘Emergency’) feeling less than essential, while the Ska beat of ‘Leviathan’ gives the track an  uplifting feel, which may be meant to mirror the optimism of some of his futuristic solutions to the world’s current problems.

‘Quiet Revolution’ is as insightful as it is at times angry and showcases as a songwriter with integrity.

In fact the album goes a step further, by aligning heartfelt songcraft with real passion and musical subtlety.

Not a bad combination with which to face the challenges of current times. *** ½

Review by Pete Feenstra

 

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THE HARBOURS Wide Awake (indie)
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Featured Albums w/c 9 February 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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