Andrew Roudny
Zero Words or Less
self-released
Upon receiving this CD from Andrew Roudny, I was expecting another male singer/songwriter album. You know the drill: melodic pop tracks with melancholic confessions but upbeat choruses, gentle acoustic strumming, a sprinkling of keyboards. Well, Roudny wasn’t kidding about the title. There are no lyrics on this record nor is it a contemporary makeover of folk rock. Roudny is a guitar slinger, and this LP is all about The Riff.
Taking inspiration from Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and even Jimi Hendrix, Roudny brings back the days of the Guitar Hero. In this case, it’s The Man With No Name, as Roudny doesn’t say a word with his tongue. His fingers speak the only language, allowing them to freely roam his strings. However, this isn’t as “clean” as the progressive AOR of the ’70s and ’80s. In other words, Roudny doesn’t fear the gritty power of grunge, although he is a far more versatile musician than most of the Seattle brigade.
The highlight here is “Bols Blue,” which will slam your head against the wall. Forget about lyrics. Roudny’s metallic riffs are sheer poetry.
Andrew Roudny: http://www.andrewroudny.com
