By Steve Stockman
I review a double live album of Andy White just a guitar and awesome songs of literary lyrics in Abbey Road. Career stretching, brilliantly executed. I’ll be chatting to him at 4 Corners Festival.
Andy White has done what I’d love ALL my favourite artists to do. He has taken the very best of 40 years of songs across a fine body of work and recorded them with just an acoustic guitar and a voice.
Melbourne based, though Belfast born, White has not just done this but done it in some style. As the idea had come from long time trusted producer John Leckie (Lennon, McCartney, T. Rex, Simple Minds, Stone Roses, Radiohead and Andy White since 2001), said producer took White to Abbey Road Studio 2. Sacred ground. I’ve been!
There were two sessions, afternoon and evening and the CD gives us both. It is a wonder trip across Andy’s career. It leans heavily on White’s Rave On that we will celebrate 40 years of in 2026, but it spans the decades, particularly catching my ear his co-write with Canadian Allison Russell, If You Want It. The traditional Broken Hearted is a lovely closer.
What If You Want It reminded me, or helped me see for the first time, is White’s ability to convert sometimes wordy, complicated poetry into songs and keep a radio friendly sensibility to it all. You have sometimes a deluge of words but always a melody. If McCartney had formed a band with Dylan rather than Lennon? Oh I am stretching it but we are in Abbey Road so why not!
I love words in my favourite music. I have learned over 50 years as a fan that I do need a good melody but I have bought records on the strength of lyric sheet.
So when Andy White fell out on to the streets of Belfast in 1985 I was ready. Words, songs and Belfast. Religious Persuasion is 40 years old and this summer proved just as sadly relevant. I am too aware of those “flags, banners, badges, drums and emblems” in Visions of You. Street Scenes From My Heart is taking place just outside the college room where I first heard it and even closer to the church where I am minister on University Street.
With the 40th Anniversary of Rave On Andy White coming in 2026 this is a perfect way to get ready. If you can’t catch up with all the records as well as those White has made with Liam Ó Maonlaí, Tim Finn and Stephen Fearing then make do with getting your head and the street scenes of your heart around this. It’s a great introduction to a good man’s work.
I will be In Conversation With Andy White at the 4 Corners Festival on February 6th 2026 in Fitzroy at 7.30pm… BOOK FREE TICKETS HERE