ALBUM REVIEW: ANDY CHLAU -- ANDY CHLAU

Andy Chlau is the solo project of singer-songwriter Sean Palomares, he is known to play in bands like chamber-pop trio Cowboy Country Club, The Flytrap Habits, and the now-inactive rockabilly/surf rock outfit The Benchwarmers. Lately, he has been releasing solo projects occasionally through his Soundcloud account. All of them are very tasteful in sound and songwriting. Sean’s voice is undeniably charming in a sense where he takes over the entire track. But some of Andy Chlau’s influences takes a different turn in his usual sound, like some minimalist lounge pop, house jazz, or even a slowcore driven sound that eerily reminds me of Lou Reed, or when he gets wild, Talking Heads comes into mind too. Released last July 12 of this year, his self-titled release has caused some media coverage over the past few weeks and was billed as “one of those local acts that you should watch out for” articles online. I personally think that Sean Palomares is one of the most overlooked songwriters here.

In my experience listening to his music for over a year, the guy has released a lot of music in the past and it is a personal requirement for me to suggest his music to anyone I know. Whether it’d be for some art-rock peeps or some local anti-pop scene aficionados who were born on the early 2010’s internet, Andy Chlau is the guy you should definitely check out. But as his full length was released a few weeks ago, I cleared out all of my judgement, brushed off of any pre conceived hype there is, and just simply sat down and see if I can enjoy his music in a 10-track project.

From the mellow intro “Lightning Round” and transitioning to a fast-paced “Unusual” as guitar riffs and the kick snare combo hits right at the spot when Andy Chlau grabs the mic and follows around with his melancholic lyricism. “Rollergirl”, the lead single of this album, presents itself as the catchiest lead singles of the entire year. It’s strangely charming how we’re able to fall in love with Andy Chlau’s haunting crudeness. But as the album progressed, at the moment of tracks like “Palms”, “Living in LA”, “Driving in the Skyway, and “The Quiet Game”, remained as positives throughout the entire run as it exhibit some dry minimalistic instrumentation. With it being dry, Andy Chlau’s singing was the only thing that raised the bar and keeps this album from being the equivalent of a dull piece of art hanging on the wall. Dangerously close, but still enjoyable.

“You Know it’s A Good Day” and “La. La. (This Song is Sung as a Lullaby)” incorporate synths and delay effects that adds to the experimental parts of the song. With each having a fair share of unorthodox song structures but as my mind can’t keep up with this lately, I’d still appreciate Andy Chlau’s slowcore vibes ala Red House Painters or the standard Mark Kozelek type of mood. And lastly, “Rockstar Ready” goes back to the “Unusual” side of Andy Chlau. Making this a great way to end the project on a lighter note.

photo by Joey Arte

I honestly thought that Andy Chlau would fall under the same jangly guitar rock style where most local acts nowadays are becoming a victim of for their bland samey song structures, but no, I was wrong. Andy Chlau’s first ever full length album shows a different kind of singer-songwriter from those we’ve seen in the past few years. If you’re expecting something grand, don’t, it will disappoint you as this album won’t be enjoyable for anyone unless you’re up for a bit of some experimental music or some slowcore. This is an album that I would love to go back to for being an experimental piece of local music. You guys should check this one out.

FAVE TRACKS: UNUSUAL, ROLLERGIRL, LIVING IN LA, THE QUIET GAME