On his third album I’m Sorry For Bringing You Down, Andrew Butler invites listeners deep into his psyche, navigating themes of grief, addiction, and disillusionment with stark emotional clarity amidst enchanting folk productions. Written and self-produced over two years between Stroud and Germany, the album pairs Butler’s dynamic vocal range with intricate guitar work and a raw, unfiltered lyricism.
Album opener “Nothing New” proves riveting in its mixture of trickling acoustics and sense of thematic reckoning. Initial lyrical admissions — “We still have the fear of God” — and ensuing references to being “trapped and hypnotized” conjure an enthralling, foreboding hold. Butler describes the track as exploring “the intense duality between optimism and defeatism that can take place in the face of overwhelming socio-political issues.” The standout track also has a music video.
The album continues to captivate consistently thereafter. “It Comes Naturally” ensues in its conveying of personal vices, relatable in its vulnerabilities, while the vocal tone and ghostly guitar tones bear a fond likeness to Radiohead. Elsewhere, “Still Mourning” is an affecting, haunting folk success with shades of Father John Misty in the “what’s going on in your head?” introspection and “dancing with demons / burning both ends” poetic prowess. The album’s second single, “Love Is Not Your Enemy” consumes in its multi-layered vocal harmonies and caressing folk charm, akin to Fleet Foxes. I’m Sorry For Bringing You Down is a riveting overall success from Andrew Butler.
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“Nothing New” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
