Search - Andy Griggs :: Freedom

I Wish He Were Still Country

K. Coleman | Phoenix, AZ United States | 08/09/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Andy Griggs has one of the finest voices in young country. It's a crying shame that instead of singing COUNTRY music, he chooses (or is forced) to sing this maudlin faux-country pop junk. Bad enough this stuff is being shoved down everyone's neck already as being "country" music when all it really is, is sloppy, watered-down pop, they have to make good country singers go this direction, too. This album is pretty far from being country music. It is an overproduced pop mess at best -- and not even very good pop. About the best track on this disc is "A Hundred Miles of Bad Road," and even there, although Andy appears to be trying to remain a country music singer, the obtrusive "bang bang bang" of the synth machine drums and electronic overproduction takes out any last traces of country the song may have had. The entire disc is awash with this foul overproduction and far too many electronic tricks, which makes it ANYTHING but country music, which is (according to the dictionary, if not Nashville) "a generally simple and straightforward style of music." It would be delightful if artists like Andy would stick to just good country music instead of all being herded into the sound-alike, look-alike, cookie-cutter pop-faux-country mold Nashville is shoving every artist east of Texas into. If you like actual COUNTRY music, I advise passing this one by and getting something by Dale Watson or Roger Wallace, instead."

Andy Griggs is HOT

Bobbi Grace | Atlanta,GA. | 08/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love Andy's music. Freedom is the first CD I have of his but I will DEFINETLY be buying more. The song "Tonight I Want To Be Your Man" WOWEEEEEE! It Kicks!"

Fair Sophomore Effort

A. Kulcsar | Ypsilanti, MI United States | 10/01/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I have been and still am a very big fan of Andy Griggs. His debut album blew me away, and he set very high expectations for his sophomore album. His first album demonstrated a great deal of talent and showed that he has the potential to be a very big artist. "You Won't Ever Be Lonely" impressed me a great deal (you can read my review of that album as proof :-) ).His second album, though, is a bit disappointing. I really want to like this album, and I have listened to the album a half-dozen times before writing this review. "Freedom," however, does not seem to demonstrate Griggs's talents as well as his first album did. Most of the songs are mid-tempo and seem to have little identity...in a sense, they all sound like the same song. The first single that he released, "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man," may prove to be the best song on this album, though there are perhaps two other songs that are quite good. The hidden track is emotionally charged, haunting, and great music. "Always" is a typically-Griggs ballad (which, of course, is quite good), but even this song seems to have a very weak sound to it. The album is missing a song with a really strong, driving sound (though "Sweetheart of Beinja Bayou" and, to a lesser extent, "Custom Made" come close). The remainder of the songs are very middle-of-the-road and seem to be missing Andy's signature. The songwriting is very good (Andy wrote or co-wrote a majority of the songs), but the arrangements are lacking.Overall, it is a pretty good CD from a very talented artist. I really hope Andy can find his voice and pick a group of songs for his third album with arrangements that showcase his talent like his first album did."