T.R.A.S.E — Tape Recorder and Synthesiser Ensemble
Not knowing the provenance of this release may cause a different, more negative reaction. One might assume that this is some minimal, tongue-in-cheek hipster just discovering old electronic music. Thankfully, this isn't the case and T.R.A.S.E. is as honest as it gets. Andy's love of music is all out here, warts and all, and his influences are worn on his sleeve. The result is a very interesting synth pop album that is a definite product of its time. Andy's homemade synth sounds pretty decent (sometimes very reminiscent of SID sounds from a Commodore 64). It lacks some of the clarity and range of the synths played by bigger acts, but it's played with relative skill. If you don't go in expecting Rick Wakeman, you won't be let down. There are some wonderful riffs that really catch the ear while a basic pattern fills the background. The vocals are a bit wonky (picture a prepubescent Phil Oakey) and the drums are a little boring, but they're both still pretty decent.
"Sketch-1" starts this release in a really strong fashion. The low adds solid meat to the track while the high riff draws you in. I get a wicked C64 vibe from this along with the feeling it could be a Rentals song. Andy's straight synth jams are nice, but he seems to be at his best when going for a more complex song. The beat and dueling synth lines in "Unrequited Love" are enough to distract you enough from the vocals (which are wimpy even by 80's New Wave standards) and "Voices" has Andy at his most skilled. One must assume this was part of his last recording as it shows considerable growth. The recording is very clean, the instruments sound better (maybe newer), and the lines are well thought out. Andy's cover of Gary Numan's "We Are So Fragile" is ok. There's an extra synth line that missing that really takes away from it overall, but other than that, it's solid enough. I like the original, but I'm not sure why it's one of the most covered of his tracks. Speaking of Numan, I picked up a bunch of his influence on this release. Whether the subtle hints of "Asylum" on "Twilight" and "Sketch-5", "Random" on "Angel Face," or the near direct lift of "M.E." on "Sketch-4," Andy's songs are very reminiscent of The Pleasure Principle. Not surprising, The Human League's influence is apparent as well. Other than the vocals, "War Machine" gets very close to "The Black Hit of Space" in some parts (which, incidentally, shares a lot with Numan's "Replicas"). I'd say surprisingly, but it totally makes sense, is the John Carpenter-esque "Talk To Me." It's a cool groove that hearkens back to the Assault on Precinct 13 soundtrack. T.R.A.S.E would play very well along side Thomas Leer's Contradictions.
It's not very often an unheard gem will see the light of day after thirty years, especially one of such caliber as T.R.A.S.E. I'm very glad the folks at Finders Keepers asked Andy about his musical history. I know nothing of his current work, but if this is any indication, it's probably very well done. One can only wonder where Andy would have gone had he pushed his tape harder. If he could produce some serious radness with homemade equipment in his bedroom, what could he have produced with professional gear and record label funding?