REVIEW: Kaneb Andrews’ Hope, Despair and ‘False Prophets’
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY KATIE SLATER ☆
Providing a breath of fresh air to these dark winter days, Brooklyn-based singer Kaneb Andrews has treated us to a profoundly hopeful new EP, False Prophets.
A five-song collection that takes us through some of the singer’s darkest days, his indie grit-meets-Americana style serves as the perfect storytelling device.
Throughout the EP we hear tales of misplaced love and trust, ultimately leading the songwriter toward a deeper faith in those truly important. Acknowledging both Bob Dylan and early heartbreak as key influences, the music is led by an acoustic singer-songwriter style, tastefully built into a full band endeavor.
An EP that feels truly curated, it moves from the dense textures of the energetic “Two-Wheeled Death Machine” to the striking vulnerability of “I DON’T WANNA TALK TO GOD.” Varied in tone yet unmistakably Andrews, the record maintains a strong artistic identity.
“Recombination” offers some the collection’s most poignant lyricism- grappling with the idea that we may never truly change who we are.
Gliding into the chorus over a steady, measured chord progression, the harmonic rhythm suddenly increases as he sings the line “new formations.” This shift foreshadows a bridge characterised by less conventional chords and brief modulations, where the fundamental musical ideas are reconfigured into something new.
Returning soon to the original line, Andrews uses both tonal and harmonic devices to highlight his lyrical message of personal reconstruction.
An unfolding battle between hope and despair, Andrews plays with moments of light and dark. Touching on themes of loneliness, “Midnight Medicine” is an appeal for human connection. Beginning with a sparse progression which pulls between major and minor, bright pop-rock guitar licks add to the singer’s naturally bright timbre.
Though melancholic in theme, the music remains tinged with a quiet but growing sense of light that builds into a warm symbol of hope.
Following the EP through its cyclical structure from the faithless to the faithful, the listener is guided through a true journey through the ups and downs of Andrews’ life. Whether you’re drawn to real emotional transparency or simply in search of great guitar riffs, False Prophets acts as a reminder of hope in even the darkest of days.
