As one of Australia's most prolific songwriters, Andrew Farriss has demonstrated time and time again his versatile skill-set towards music, especially through the release of his debut self-titled album, 'Andrew Farriss.'
Known for his songwriting behind the Australian supergroup INXS, Andrew Farriss later ventured solo to perform with acts like Tom Jones, Yothu Yindi, Tania Kernaghan, and Jenny Morris. Also, an Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Andrew Farriss, is more than ready to portray his musical and lyrical abilities solo.
Jumping into the album through the introductory track, "Bounty Hunter - Hummingbird," Andrew Farris opens the project with a lush acoustic soundscape and samples of squealing birds soaring overtop. Painting precious images through this complex intro track, we move into the next piece, "Come Midnight." Andrew Farriss delves deeper into the album through this song's energy and uplifting feel as he takes us through a passionate lyrical storyline of feeling understood by a significant other.
Spicing up the instrumentals for the next track, "With the Kelly Gang," Andrew Farriss offers an incredible blend of nostalgic folk-rock and country. While also touching on an intense wild, wild west storyline, we move into the next track, "Where Do You Sleep Tonight." A peaceful and easy-listening song, we adore the soothing vocal stylings of Andrew Farriss on this warm track as he drifts through with the lyricism of missing someone dearly.
Pumping up the energy with the next track, "Run Baby Run," Andrew Farriss takes listeners through a highly optimistic and exhilarating piece. While singing motivational lyricism accompanied by heavily soulful country instrumentals, we jump into the next track, "My Cajun Girl." Taking us through the spirited and blissful sounds of country-folk through this track, Andrew Farriss later makes his vocal appearance and sings an endearing message of wanting more than a friendship with someone special.
Getting darker with the next piece, "Apache Pass," Andrew Farriss sings more of a reflective and reminiscent storyline while depicting his journey through the Apache Pass. Heightening the album's energy with the eighth track, "Starlight," Andrew Farriss tells us an incredibly personal story of being hurt by someone who he prayed to be beside. While the instrumentals swell with bright country-rock instrumentals, the song comes to a heavily introspective end.
Continuing the lush instrumentation with the ninth piece, "Son of a Gun," the song opens with punchy instrumentals and Andrew Farriss' warm vocals singing another powerful and creative lyrical storyline. Increasing the soul with the next track, "Good Momma Bad," we adore the song's fluid and hefty instrumentation that tells an equally thrilling story as Andrew Farriss' playful message.
Reaching the album's final tracks with the eleventh piece, "Drifting," Andrew Farriss opens this track with soothing instrumentation and his reflective lyrical message of finding change where change needs to be. Ending the album off with the outro track, "You Are My Rock," Andrew Farriss closes the project with incredible passion as he blasts through this piece belting his love for someone and thanking them for being his rock. Jumping to the end with boundless instrumental and lyrical intensity, we're more than pleased with the outcome of Andrew Farriss' debut album.
Catch the soulful stylings of Andrew Farriss and his debut self-titled album 'Andrew Farriss' on all digital streaming platforms, and familiarize yourself with one of Australia's most prolific songwriters.
A very warm welcome to BuzzMusic Andrew, and congratulations on the release of your debut album, 'Andrew Farriss.' When did you initially begin executing ideas and visions for the album?
Thank you. Initially, I didn’t start out making an album, though I’ve always been a songwriter during my music career, I actually was tracking songs I’d written to get better-sounding recordings to pitch to other artists and publishers. Some of the tracks are older ones that I have reinvented and reworked, and some were written with the purpose of the album. I ended up having to narrow down songs to choose for the album so that it is a cohesive sound and theme to it. With the delay of the album by a year due to Covid, I ended up releasing some of the extra songs as an EP, ‘’Love Makes The World’’. Which in the end, the songs on that were a bit more folk/rock with a bit of country. I think it was a nice introduction to my switching of genres and leads nicely into my release of my LP. For an idea of my live show, there is a live In-Studio performance set I have of my EP on my YouTube Channel.
What inspired you to go solo and create your debut album, 'Andrew Farriss'? What pushed you to take action on this process?
I was a founding member and main songwriter until INXS stopped touring in 2012.
My inspiration for the album started when my wife Marlina and I were horseback riding along the Arizona/New Mexico/Mexico border in 2013 with our friends Craig and Tam Lawson. It was a life-changing experience and an education in the old west culture. I took this feeling into my songwriting sessions in Nashville. During my international music career, I have written and co-written many songs as well as worked as a record producer with various artists over the years, but I was never a lead singer. It was during a writing session in Nashville (for the song on my album titled “ Starlight “) with a couple of good friends (Buck Johnson and James Dean Hicks) who suggested I sing the lead vocal on the song. That kind of surprised me at the time as they’re both much better singers than me! Thanks to those guys I tracked more of my songs with a little more confidence and sang lead vocals, also as my beautiful wife Marlina and family and friends encouraged me to seriously consider a solo Country music release. The Country genre just felt like a natural fit with my voice, and my interest in making an album with live instruments.
Did you work with any musicians, producers, or engineers while creating the sonics and instrumentals for your album 'Andrew Farriss'?
Yes, during the recording of my album I worked with some amazing musicians and engineers (THANK YOU) both in Nashville, TN, and in Sydney, Australia.
Larry Beaird, Eddie Bayers, Eli Beaird, Jeff Taylor, Steve Brewster, Joeie Canaday, Dave Cohen, Matt Dame, Marti Dodson, Steve Hinson, Evan Hutchings, Jim Hoke, Buck Johnson, Lawrie Minso, Tammy Rogers King, Troy Lancaster, Gale Mayes, Angie Prim, Greg Morrow, Steve Nathan, Jimmy Nicholl, Justin Ostrander, Russ Pahl, Miles McPherson, Michael Rhode, Chris Ross, Scotty Sanders, Justin Schipper
Recorded at: Piedmont Station Studio - Cobbadah, NSW. Australia.
Engineers: Owen Butcher, Stefan DuRandt
Beaird Music Group Studio - Nashville, TN -Larry Beaird, Aaron Beaird, Eli Beaird, Tytus Welker.
Engineers: Jim DeBlanc, Rob Lane, David Buchanan
Studios 301 - Sydney, Australia
Engineers: Owen Butcher, Stefan DuRandt
Is there a song within your album 'Andrew Farriss' that's your personal favorite? Why is this so?
‘’Starlight’’ is a very special personal song to my wife Marlina and myself. “Starlight’’ is about her journey with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and her incredibly positive attitude and a kick-ass attitude to fighting it. And how we have gotten through it and continue to get through it looking towards the positives in life.
How can your audience and listeners get to know you better and more personally through the twelve tracks within 'Andrew Farriss?’
Many of the songs on my album are about culture, both past, and present. I also love Outlaw Country music and Country rock. I have been fortunate to have traveled and worked musically in 52 different countries. I am a voracious reader of many different cultures and history, including military history over time. Coincidentally many cultural similarities exist between the Wild West – USA and The Australian Bush Rangers and the immense hardships the early settlers endured and experiences, including the difficulties faced by the first nations indigenous peoples of both the USA and Australia during the 19th century/early 20th Century. To me, it's most inspirational when music is about culture and real-life issues past or present. It also has led me with this album to use more old-fashioned instruments such as the mandolin, fiddle, banjo, flute, and even mariachi players! I was born 27-3-1959 near Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Western Australia in the hospital that the Americans built originally for American and Australian servicemen and women during WW2. I was blessed with a good family experience and to grow up in Perth which I thought was the most remote city geographically in the world. As a kid in the 1960’s in Perth, they played all different music genres on the AM radio stations back then, including Country music, Rock, pop, classical, jazz, etc. I think that influenced me right there as fundamentally with my writing as I thought all radio stations around the world did that same thing. It was only when I started to travel internationally that I realized different music genres overseas were segregated on the radio in certain countries. Also, how different, remote and geographically huge Western Australia actually was, for example, it’s 3 times the size of Texas – USA! This diversity of musical interest has always shown through my songwriting style. On this album, it runs from Country Rock, Americana, Folk, Blues, and even some Funk. I like to mix genres to make new sounds, I’d rather be at the head of the train of sound rather than following in the caboose. If folks are interested in checking what I am doing right now head to my website and social media.