Andy Griffiths

Mind on Other Things offers a warm vibe taking a classic rock sound and adding more of a wistful sheen not surprisingly conjuring up images of an early ’70s California sound akin to early Jackson Browne or the Eagles.
- View Magazine - Ric Taylor

Wednesday, May 15, 2013
New Andy Griffiths CD: Mind on Other Things
Once again, local singer/songwriter Andy Griffiths, brings his great pop/folk/rock sound to a new disc. Mind on Other Things is a great follow up to his previous CD, Looking at a Life ...

This time, the spirit is a lot higher. Tunes like Gone Forever, Lost My Groove, and Garbage into Space, are incredibly catchy and animated. Slower moments such as Your Style and Your Smile and We Sing For Your Love work extremely well as a beautful contrast to the more kinetic ones.

To end off the album, Andy's included two interesting, raw, bonus demo tracks.

A few of the accomplished musicians from the previous disc make a triumphant return. Frank Koren, Ray Farrugia, Lawrie Ingles and others add their magic touch.

There's some new blood is here as well. Both Tomi Swick and Kim Koren add background vocals to a few tracks. Jesse O'Brien tickles the ivories on 4 songs. Mark Lalama even breaks out his accordion for wonderful The Fog Has Lifted. There are too many other guests to mention but they all make this CD sound marvelous.

You can pick up this spectacular CD at Andy's live shows. - Hamilton Blues - Luis Pereira

Spotlight
GREAT ENTERTAINMENT AT OUTDOOR VENUES STILL HAPPENING
Glen Silverthorn
Thursday, August 30, 2012 5:16:11 EDT AM


This past Sunday afternoon I ventured down to The Station Coffee House and Gallery and joined a small, but enthusiastic group of listeners to take in the distinctive voice of Andy Griffiths. This fine gentleman from Burlington has been making music as a solo artist and with various well known Hamilton area musicians for some time. He is a prolific songwriter and presented many of his originals on Sunday with acoustic guitar accompaniment.
When I arrived he had just started singing the song, “Looking At A Life Gone By,” which is the title track on his first full length CD, which contains 10 songs varying in style and tempo. On this disc just released last September he used Ray Farrugia (Tom Wilson’s drummer), Frank Koren on electric and lead guitar, Astrid Young (Neil’s sister), doing backup vocals, and eight others.
On Sunday he performed many of these songs, each one being inspired by an event, place, person, or situation in the world such as Lend A Hand, which was written after the disaster in Haiti, and he plans to add this song to a future video. He related that his first attempt at writing this song didn’t work out but the second one did. After writing the first verse he headed upstairs to bed. When he got half way up he thought of a second verse and came back down to get it on paper. After heading back upstairs a second time he thought of the third verse and had to get back down to complete it. Check out this great song at www.andygriffiths.ca soon.
His strong strumming guitar style came through on many songs which had a folk/rock beat including one written for his niece at her wedding this summer. His expressive tenor voice revealed a command of dynamics, which would occasionally venture into a falsetto range to emphasize the message of the song lyrics.
At the mid point in the show Jeremiah Budnark showed up with his bass and joined Andy on The Beatles’ Ticket To Ride and Knock Knock Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. There was even some bass sounds coming from the shunting diesel which provided a little competition during the afternoon, however the song, “Don’t Listen To Me” really covered the noise of the engine. The exciting song “You Fill Me Up” was inspired during a trip to France with his wife. Another beautiful ballad written for his wife of 25 years and also on the CD is, “Bear With Me”. One of his own favorites that he sang was “Carry Me” a song written by his vocal coach, RAY LYELL. Besides The Beatles, Andy did some other covers including Steve Miller and The Tragically Hip. The concert ended with toe-tappers, Can’t Do That, Saw Her Standin’ There, and Hippy Hippy Shake.
- Brantford Expositor - Aug 30-12

They had an awesome full band for the Saturday night show at The Moonshine Cafe!
by Travis Riggin - Snap Magazine Oakville

With plenty of real-life experience behind him, as well as a two-decade career traipsing the cover-band circuit, Andy Griffiths debut album probably felt like a long time coming. Although the journey Griffiths has taken has been circuitous, there’s no doubting the hard work that goes into a music career that remains on the bottom rungs, and there’s also no denying the available time to practice and hone a talent can be advantageous. On “Looking At A Life” he emerges as a fully formed singer-writer, with no shortage of tales to tell, and an assured musical ability to make the best of his words.

He brings both gritty gravitas and sure-fire pop hooks to his compositions, and it’s names like Tom Petty, Elvis Costello and Graham Parker that seem the most suitable when comparisons are to made. As for definite influences, different songs do carry stylistic nuances. For example, “You Fill Me Up” wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the first Traveling Wilburys’ collection, with its mix of Beatles dynamics and American twang, and “Hooked” is a wonderful power pop track that I feel I should have discovered via one of those amazing Sound Asleep compilations that used to appear so regularly. Maybe best of all is “Bare Bones”. It incorporates a pleasing rolling rhythm, the band turn up their amps and it’ll take you back to that special period in the late ‘70s when Petty, Nick Lowe and their ilk were considered new wave.

Rob F. Jan 24, 2012

- Leicester Bangs

Fri Nov 4, 2011 by Jaimie Vernon

‘Looking At A Life’ is an electric album in every sense of the word. First impression on spinning the disc is how much radio has missed real hook-filled pop rock.

The Stars Will Dance and Hooked are power pop ditties that make you sing along and tap your feet, if not dance. In fact, “Hooked” might be ripe for radio should radio ever decide to play music again.

Griffiths has emotional heft as well as witnessed by the subtle, more acoustic leaning Bear With Me and She Goes (Thru The Market Place). But the real winner is the folky, anthemic Lend A Hand which could easily pass as a Gordon Lightfoot song. It’s rolling, dynamic and mesmerizing.' - Cashbox Magazine Inc., Canada

Sept 16, 2011 by Kathryn Dunmore

“The album has been a year in the works,” he explained. “Music is a passion for me and I love writing and performing. I can’t help myself.”

His wife painted Griffiths’ portrait for the CD cover, while his daughter designed the cover using her mother’s artwork.... - Burlington Post - Metroland Media

Article by Hamilton B Lous (Louis) - Tues Nov 1, 2011

"Local singer/songwriter Andy Griffiths manages to take the folk rock sound to modern heights on his latest CD, Looking at a Life . . .

Songs like the title track, Bare Bones, Don't Listen to Me, and many others are incredibly infectious. This high energy never overpowers the solid folk foundation of the tunes."



- Hamilton Blues Lovers

View Magazine by Ric Taylor - Sept 22-11

“ With a growing list of friends that wanted to help Griffiths’ vision come to light, or at least to ear, .... his first CD that comes off more mature than most, ‘Looking At A Life’ is a pop–rock album with a grittier edge on a life well lived – with a sound that could bring comparisons to Bob Dylan or even the Lowest of the Low. ....Musically, I like Tom Petty quite a bit and I’m a big fan of Tom Wilson. I consider these guys folk with a rock edge or rock with a folksy root. I like a lot of different flavours of music but I rarely sit down and try to pen a song in a particular style. My songs seem to have a classic rock (folk) feel that appeals to many different people.” Griffiths has a knack for writing songs for the everyman........” - View Magazine - Ric Taylor - Sept 22-11