Singer- songwriter Andrew Butler has just released ‘Like Love’, the first mesmeric single from his upcoming album, ‘Songs from the Underworld’ due on 23rd June. Butler plays a mystical and melancholic mixture of alternative, Folk and Blues, combined with harmonies that rest delicately on top of finger-picked melodies and Grunge laced electric guitar. His voice is powerful in its vulnerability making his music timely yet fused with nostalgia. His lyrics delve deep into the psyche and range from heart on sleeve confessionals to abstract dream like collages
Latest single ‘Like Love’ describes the whirlwind of emotions when you fall in love – from hope and insecurity to electrifying euphoria: A rhythmic guitar floats underneath a passionate vocal that sings of the strange beauty in the indescribable thoughts one can have in the throws of love. Listen here:
Upcoming second album Songs From The Underworld was written during a turbulent period of Butler’s life. It holds ten enchanting songs, melodies and lyrics that are close to the bone against the backdrop of a dark gothic underworld. Composed as an emotive journey through light and dark, Songs From The Underworld speaks of vulnerabilities and shattered dreams, defiance and unswerving hope, inviting its listeners to become part of a complex and beautiful metamorphosis.
He has been compared to artist such as Roy Orbison, Jeff Buckley and Nina Simone but creates his own unique space on the musical spectrum. Andrew’s first album Chalk received airplay on Guy Garvey‘s Finest Hour on BBC 6 as well as being featured on a key Spotify playlist. Before moving to Stroud, Butler was a regular performer on the London gigging circuit and featured regularly on line ups that included Jade Bird, Ferris and Sylvester, while supporting Sophie Jamieson and Alex Bayly and performing an impromptu set with Michael Kiwanuka along the way.
Andrew spoke to GIITTV about his music saying, “I would probably describe my music as quietly optimistic, dark but not without humour and with speckles of light in between. A bit like myself I suppose. Or I could say it sounds like a love child of Nick Cave and Jeff Buckley trying to write Everly Brothers songs.“
“Instruments are great mirrors for emotions so I tend to just play and sing and see what comes out depending on the mood I am in….In terms of more traditional influences I have too many to name but I find it hard to look past Leonard Cohen, Nirvana and Radiohead. I think they probably shaped my music the most. I also subconsciously absorbed the Beach Boys and Queen before I even knew what music was. I love to listen to music outside and recently my soundtrack to relaxing in the sun has been Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, Mac Demarco, Nilüfer Yanya, Moondog and Idles.
Andrew writes most of his lyrics in public saying,”previously it was watching the world go by in busy cities people watching and soaking up the randomness of life and now it is quiet lanes and empty fields. I find just watching it all unfold tends to evoke words and those words later help to inspire melodies.” He started played guitar at the age of sixteen: ” Before I just wrote poems or very cheesy songs about house parties. There was a lot of music played in my house though, my mum would constantly play classical music on the piano or on the radio and my dad frequently played records by artists such as The Doors, The Bhundu Boys and Fairport Convention. I was extremely influenced by their music tastes but I think that only became apparent when I started to write songs. Having said that though, Limp Bizkit and Korn could certainly be viewed as a little rebellion.
Butler decided to be a musician soon after he first picked up his dad’s old electric guitar and “started to noodle about not knowing what I was doing. The feeling of release it brought was something I will never forget. It almost felt like magic, and the elation that followed after writing my first song pretty much confirmed that I would never be truly satisfied doing anything else.“
Butler’s songs have a powerfully soul-baring quality. “Songwriting is the ultimate form of therapy for me. Whether that is a good thing or not I don’t know. I have never found it hard to be honest in my songs though, except for my latest album perhaps. There were times when I wondered if the songs on ‘Songs From The Underworld’ were too close to the bone even for me, but at the same time, writing or censoring my music wouldn’t feel right.
I do still try to write songs that are enjoyable or relatable in some way though, I am not attempting to be completely self indulgent. My ultimate aim is to connect and resonate with people and I feel the truth helps to achieve that.“
Butler usually writes the melody first and, over time gradually tries out different lyrics over the top to see how they sound. “There are occasions though when the lyrics and melody come at the same time or 5 or 6 songs come in the space of a week. I live for these moments but they happen very rarely, ” he added.
When asked who his ideal band to support would be he said, “This is a tough one, and I am going to cheat by saying two names. Radiohead just so I could listen to them perform every day, and Mac Demarco because he seems like such a chilled out down to earth guy that would be fun to hang out with.“
Butler is in the process of booking upcoming gigs and festivals and when speaking of the future he said, “I never like to look too far ahead but releasing an EP, another album and buying a dog are high on the list.”
Andrew Butler’s spellbinding second album, Songs from the Underworld is due for release on 23rd June. Follow Andrew Butler here: