Former Brinsley Schwarz/Rumour keyboardist Bob Andrews has immersed himself in New Orleans piano since moving to the city. On this self-produced album, he largely and agreeably leans toward the R&B that was cool currency during pub rock days. The title track is a well-chosen cover of Ronnie Love’s 1961 hit, and it creeps along at a haunting but attractive pace. Andrews samples Dave Bartholomew’s catalog with “Down the Road” and “Before I Grow Too Old,” along with a solid rendering of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.”
No slouch of a tunesmith, Andrews has several originals included here. While “The Trial” is a noodly instrumental, “Precious Time” and “Ready to Go” swing and have a lot to offer. People from this part of the world will associate with “This Part of the World,” as it deals with our obsession with watching Margaret Orr, Bob Breck and Dawn Brown on television during hurricane season.
While this 10-song CD maxes out at a little over 30 minutes, there’s plenty of interesting and enjoyable music packed in here.
