Inconsistent sixth solo offering from Minneapolis singer-songwriter.
Joe Fahey’s musical journey started in North Minneapolis in 1979, playing guitar or bass in a number of bands, until in 1990 he founded Carp 18 as the primary songwriter and singer, Carp 18 released two albums; “Russian Racehorse” and “Bug Rump“. Since commencing a solo career, Fahey has released five albums prior to “Andrea’s Exile”, from 2006’s “Tote Bag” through to 2022’s gloriously named “Baker’s Cousin“.
“Andrea’s Exile” comprises 10 self-penned songs and is co-produced by Fahey along with Dan Kowalke (guitar player with nine-piece Minneapolis band The Belfast Cowboys, who specialise in the music of Van Morrison). Also featured on the album are vocalists Edie Baumgart (whose work includes Edie Rae & the Blaze Kings, Bubbles, Dave Rave & The Governors) and Minneapolis singer Lisa Tradewell. The inclusion of the backing vocalists works really well; additionally, the songs’ arrangements are well thought through.
Fahey’s lyrics are at times novel, or quirky may be an apt description, in the way that, say, They Might Be Giants can be quirky. The record opens with ‘The Elusive Unicorn Blues‘ and immediately we find evidence of the witty or quirky lyrics; it’s full of puns, with the first verse being full of dental puns “You know the drill, you went to dental school, just to pay the bills. You were chomping at the bit for much, much more than hanging your plaque out on your door“. ‘Calico Dress‘ is one of the LP’s highlights; it has a memorable tune and features some melodic guitar playing, including two solos, the one which closes out the song being particularly effective. The scene here is a funfair, with a boy hoping to capture a girl’s heart but ultimately fails in his quest. “She wore a calico dress, with hair as wild as a raven’s nest her eyes were like the color of the sky and I happened to be there with all the others at the fair and when she turned I knew I caught her eye“.
‘Did I Forget to Feed the Fish?‘ is a little more up-tempo, with some neat slide guitar evident; the song covers anxieties and frustrations; “Trying to be a good boy, get to bed at a decent time, but I just toss and turn up there, trying to think of words that rhyme“. ‘Ten Years After‘ is another highlight; it’s retrospective, with a contemplative view of things, with the benefit of a different context; “I saw Ten Years After, about 10 years after Woodstock”, then following the demise of the Berlin Wall; “…but now there’s a brightness on the plaza where the shadows used to be so tall“. In summary Fahey states “Ten years after puts a new perspective in your head, all the cries and laughter can be watched, heard and read“.
The subject appears to be serious;
There are some standout moments on this album – songs such as ‘Ten Years After‘, ‘Calico Dress‘ and ‘Andrea’s Exile‘ are a cut above most of the other songs here. However the record concludes with the title track; with its serious line, “There’s just nothing to prepare you to take the stand at a lover’s trial, no sadness greater than the crash then the silence of Andrea’s exile” it seems Fahey has saved the best until last.
