Originally from East Tennessee, Jill Andrews got her start in the Americana group the Everybodyfields before releasing her self-titled debut solo EP in 2009. Since then she’s put out three albums and a trio of EPs – most recently 2021’s ‘Ellen’ – partnered with Nashville songwriter and producer to form the duo Hush Kids, and had her songs featured on shows including Grey’s Anatomy, This Is Us, Nashville and Wynonna Earp (which she wrote the theme tune for). Now she’s back with her latest album, ‘Modern Age’, the follow-up to 2020 LP ‘Thirties’.
The ten-track record opens with ’80s Baby’, which features a shimmering intro and distorted effects that give it a spacey quality, before Andrews’s soft, delicate vocals glide over a weighty piano line. It’s absolutely packed with nostalgic details that many of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s will identify with, from taping songs off the radio to biking over to a friend’s house to play Mario Kart and being home before the streetlights come on, and there’s a dreamy feel about the song that gives it a beautiful warm quality. I also loved the specific references Andrews added, like hearing Strawberry Wine when going through a heartbreak and thinking ‘she sang it for me’ and going to the video store hoping Back To The Future wasn’t rented out yet.
Perhaps surprisingly for an album called ‘Modern Age’, Andrews spends a lot of the project exploring sounds from previous (and future) decades. ‘Connection’ features a blend of a Daisy Jones and The Six-esque driving beat and 80s-style synthesisers alongside a soaring power pop chorus, whilst the sunsoaked ‘High Fives’ combines a space age melody with playful acoustic guitar and choral effects at the end. She also brings in that contrast lyrically, particularly on the latter with its slightly darker touches (‘never thought about dying’) against images of using the floor as a trampoline and rollerblading in parking lots, which gives the song a bittersweet feel.
However, one thing which pulls the whole record together is the affection and tenderness Andrews puts into her songs, particularly those which turn to looking back at people throughout her life. ‘Better Life’ has a mellow, piano-led vibe as she sings tenderly about a ‘golden haired beauty queen’ friend who struggled with bulimia, and the upbeat, bouncy feel of ‘Kids’ with its childlike background vocals and fuzzy, layered guitars contrasts the mini-portraits of high school cliques. There’s a real affection in the advice Andrews gives to her younger self and those around as she contemplates how ‘we all go through so many different phases, and life hasn’t always been kind’ and I like that the song has an otherworldly feel which sets it apart from many of the other tracks.
For me the strongest block of songs comes in the latter half of the record, starting with ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time’. Reminiscent of Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Rainbow’, the song features a slow, melodic piano line and utterly gorgeous vocals from Andrews as she muses on the impact of loneliness and reaching out for connection. I also loved the lush quality of the strings and the overriding optimism of the song’s message, encouraging the subject to hold on for brighter days coming. Elswhere, the Florence and the Machine-esque ‘Dark Days’ finds Andrews facing some uncomfortable truths as she wrestles with the consequences of a lover’s mental health issues and the strain that puts on one’s loyalty, whilst ‘Patience’ feels like a sister song with its gentle, stripped-back feel and ‘morning after the night before’ lyrics as she and her partner pick up the pieces whilst trying to comfort themselves ‘watching a movie you’ve already seen’ before the killer twist in the bridge.
After the uptempo, pulsing ‘Patience’ with its singalong feel as Andrews proudly embraces her flaws before switching to a haunting piano melody, the album closes with ‘Boundless Love’. It has a beautiful bright quality about it that feels perfect for early summer mornings and shows off the richer side of Andrews’ vocals, as well as being packed with nature imagery (‘child of flowers, child of trees’) and the sense of connection that’s been a running theme throughout the project, but with another spin on it away from those shared childhood experiences. It’s a lovely note to finish on and one that leaves you feeling hopeful, as well as excited to see where Andrews’ music goes from here.
Overall Jill Andrews has delivered a beautiful, wistful album that’s sure to resonate strongly with many listeners, bringing a mix of affectionate looking back with bold, unapologetic lyrics that remind us we’re not all perfect and that’s OK. It absolutely feels like music made for festivals – personally I think it’s a crime her Long Road slot is so early, because this would be absolutely perfect for the sun going down on the Front Porch stage – but if you’re after something to take you back and chill you out in these late summer days as we go into autumn, then it’s a perfect choice, and one that’s certain to sound dreamy when she plays it live too.
Track listing: 1. 80s Baby 2. Connection 3. High Fives 4. Better Life 5. Kids 6. Wrong Place, Wrong Time 7. Dark Days 8. Patience 9. Sensitive 10. Boundless Love Record label: Vulture Vulture/Tone Tree Music Release date: 18th August 2023
See Jill Andrews on tour in the UK this year:
27 August – The Long Road Festival, Leicestershire, UK
29 September – St Augustine’s Church, Derry, UK (supporting Matt Deighton)
30 September – Black Box, Belfast, UK (supporting Matt Deighton)
2 October – Band on the Wall, Manchester, UK
3 October – Acapela, Cardiff, UK
4 October – Green Note, London, UK
5 October – The 1865, Southampton, UK
6 October РBlue Sky Caf̩, Bangor, UK
7 October – Classic Grand Social Lounge, Glasgow, UK
8 October – Liverpool Philharmonic, Liverpool, UK
