Harvey Andrews - I’m Resigning From Today: The Transatlantic Anthology

Birmingham singer-songwriter’s Transatlantic recordings

A 35-track double-disc spanning 1965-76, including Andrews’ earnest, primitive self-titled debut EP, a couple of previously unreleased tracks, support from the likes of Richard and Linda Thompson and a fold-out sleeve groaning under the dense type recounting the Andrews story. It sounds definitive, except for the fact that nothing on his two Transatlantic albums, Fantasies From A Corner Seat and Someday, was fit to lick the boots of Andrews’ two, far more cutting edge, Cube albums, which pre-date most of the stuff here. Hence the absence of his two most famous songs, Hey Sandy and The Soldier.

There are odd flashes of Andrews’ old storytelling intensity in the early bout of Thatcher-bashing that is Targets, and the reggaecharged Man With A Gun; but his partnership with John Dunkerley resulted in a more sophisticated style which, in tandem with Transatlantic’s pressure to produce hits, dulled Andrews’ sting and steered him towards a supposedly radio-friendly stance top-heavy on romance, nostalgia and crooning. His lyrics still paid keen attention to personal detail, and poignant tributes to some of his heroes (Song For Phil Ochs, Mr Homburg Hat (for Tony Hancock) and He Played For England (Tommy Lawton)), sustain their emotional sway, yet leave you despairing of mid-70s production values.

Transatlantic | TRRDD 403 (2-CD)

Reviewed by Colin Irwin
<< Back to Issue 341