ANDREW MCCUTCHEON
Welcome To Periphery (NMX)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Retro fans will love this guy. Andrew McCutcheon is a former English professor who obviously puts some time into his lyrics. Though the liner notes say "All songs written and performed by Andrew McCutcheon," the fact seems to be that there are three others involved, and that they are collectively known as Periphery. Derf Maitland (keyboards), Matt Harbaugh (bass), & J.J. Dugan (Drums) may or may not play on every track, so it's hard to know exactly what I'm reviewing here. Therefore, I'll refer to the instruments and not the players when I'm not certain. That'll be just about all the time, 'k?

The title track grabbed me immediately. There's no sense pretending McCutcheon's music isn't derivative, but his twisty-turny lyrics bed down nicely amongst the Doors-like keyboards and the Zappa-esque vocal arrangement. Truly funky in its own way. By the way, if you have any doubts or guilt about tagging the Doors thing on McCutcheon, wait until Track 7, "Darkening Light," when he not only adds a Robby Kreiger slide guitar sound to the Manzarek organ tones, he also does an uncanny Morrison vocal imitation. Is this a Doors tribute band? No, because "When I Am With You" rides right down the sled tracks left by early Neil Diamond records.

So what's the point? I don't know. I'm not going to put this on my top five list for 2002. I'm not going to recommend it to friends asking me what's new and unique, either. What I will do is recommend it to people who like retro, play it for friends who appreciate clever lyrics, and listen to it myself, because the title track has one of the trippiest retro-grooves I've heard in eons and simply because I like the CD. Then again, I freakin' love The Doors, so...

© 2002 - DJ Johnson