Andy Jackson - 73 Days At Sea (2016)

This eagerly awaited follow up to his acclaimed debut album Signal to Noise (2014) is a fine collection of songs linked by a theme. Andy explains; "I spent some time travelling back and forth to the sea, the edge of the world, whilst working on projects for others. I noticed in myself a sense of nostalgia each time I went there, as if revisiting a childhood home. This was totally erroneous, I have never lived near the sea and have scarcely been to this particular place before. Still the ‘false nostalgia’ persisted. I resolved that I would write a suite of songs concerning the sea. The sea seems to occupy a pivotal place in our subconscious, as evidenced by its endless references in myth & legend. Eventually it became clear that the entire album was to be the ‘sea suite’, albeit that direct mention was sometimes fleeting”.

As one would expect of a musician, engineer and producer of the pedigree of Andy Jackson, the finished album is nothing short of impressive, both sonically and musically. The record is arguably dominated by 17 minute epic "Drownings”, which features stunning saxophone contributions from former Van Der Graaf Generator member David Jackson and a guest vocal by Anne-Marie Helder of the band Panic Room.