Andy Lindquist – Dark Woke
A recording career of forty-plus years is, more times than not, going to net you a fair old number of releases, but in the case of wholly independent American singer-songwriter-guitarist/ multi-instrumentalist Andy Lindquist (who also engineers and produces his own work), it equates to an eyebrow raising total of more than 100 full-length albums.
Impressive as that is (achieved by recording and releasing four or five albums a year over the last couple of decades) it’s even more remarkable to note that Dark Woke is his first, and only, album of 2025.
The reasons for such a dramatic change to his normal working processes are numerous, but in short summary a relocation from Florida to his old haunt of Minnesota, losing just about every piece of musical gear along the way, concerning health issues and the associated stress put paid to any four or five album ambitions.
However, having picked himself up and dusted himself and a number of instruments down, Andy Lindquist returned to the studio with a new found energy and fully fuelled focus (in terms of his music and just what is going on in the world).
The results are Dark Woke, which isn’t a good Andy Lindquist album, it’s a great Andy Lindquist album.
Blues may be his predominant muse, but Andy Lindquist has a penchant, and love, for many a genre.
Previous non-blues releases have included rock, classic pop, jazz, Celtic, Christian, Americana-country, instrumental and even a punk album.
Dark Woke follows the melodic hard pop-rock model, one that’s chock full of Lindquist’s trademark hooks, harmonies, and British pop and rock influences of the 70s.
The short and punchy title track sums up the album’s vibe, and sharp-edged musical activism perfectly.
"Is it all just a bad dream I can’t wake up from?" questions Andy Lindquist, before realising it isn’t, declaring "I am dark woke and I am blue!"
Second number, 'The World Tonight,' is an upbeat, hi-pop prayer for the planet; it’s followed by the high on harmonies, melodic pop-rock brace of 'Existential Sweat' and 'Dream It To Believe It,' the latter a cry of optimism in an ever-rising sea of pessimism.
The mid-tempo, acoustic backed 'Hurt People Hurt People' (which features a nice little synth break) offers lyrical food for thought before the slow and atmospheric 'No Room For Falling' offers contemplation in difficult, personal times ("How do I mend your broken heart, when I can’t find the tools to fix myself?")
Sporting a downtempo, Lennon-esque vibe is piano-led ballad 'Wishing On Rain,' which lyrically asks that we look to the glass that’s half full, not half empty.
It's also one of the few times on the album that Andy Lindquist expresses himself on his trusty guitar, via a nice melody line and strong, melodically charged solo (keyboards, atmospheres and lyrics take the lead on Dark Woke).
That said, the album’s run in does feature more noticeable guitar work, starting with the brooding, and slightly angular 'Skank Force One,' which seems to be lyrically linked to following number 'On a Moral Tear,' which carries a more melodic, if still dark, tone.
The shimmering 'Luck And Treasure' is hard melodic pop meeting Cheap Trick and The Who in the same studio. That it also lyrically nods to those of us who thought we would be rock stars is the icing on the guitar shaped cake ("I was a boy with a dream… Beatles boots and purple trousers, that was a future me").
An album highlight.
The pop swing of foot-tapping closer 'A Curious Thing' makes for an upbeat, carousel keys conclusion to an album that is unarguably one of Andy Lindquist’s best non-blues albums to date, both musically and lyrically. And that’s no Dark Woke sarcasm.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Dark Woke is out now on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music and YouTube
Impressive as that is (achieved by recording and releasing four or five albums a year over the last couple of decades) it’s even more remarkable to note that Dark Woke is his first, and only, album of 2025.
The reasons for such a dramatic change to his normal working processes are numerous, but in short summary a relocation from Florida to his old haunt of Minnesota, losing just about every piece of musical gear along the way, concerning health issues and the associated stress put paid to any four or five album ambitions.
However, having picked himself up and dusted himself and a number of instruments down, Andy Lindquist returned to the studio with a new found energy and fully fuelled focus (in terms of his music and just what is going on in the world).
The results are Dark Woke, which isn’t a good Andy Lindquist album, it’s a great Andy Lindquist album.
Blues may be his predominant muse, but Andy Lindquist has a penchant, and love, for many a genre.
Previous non-blues releases have included rock, classic pop, jazz, Celtic, Christian, Americana-country, instrumental and even a punk album.
Dark Woke follows the melodic hard pop-rock model, one that’s chock full of Lindquist’s trademark hooks, harmonies, and British pop and rock influences of the 70s.
The short and punchy title track sums up the album’s vibe, and sharp-edged musical activism perfectly.
"Is it all just a bad dream I can’t wake up from?" questions Andy Lindquist, before realising it isn’t, declaring "I am dark woke and I am blue!"
Second number, 'The World Tonight,' is an upbeat, hi-pop prayer for the planet; it’s followed by the high on harmonies, melodic pop-rock brace of 'Existential Sweat' and 'Dream It To Believe It,' the latter a cry of optimism in an ever-rising sea of pessimism.
The mid-tempo, acoustic backed 'Hurt People Hurt People' (which features a nice little synth break) offers lyrical food for thought before the slow and atmospheric 'No Room For Falling' offers contemplation in difficult, personal times ("How do I mend your broken heart, when I can’t find the tools to fix myself?")
Sporting a downtempo, Lennon-esque vibe is piano-led ballad 'Wishing On Rain,' which lyrically asks that we look to the glass that’s half full, not half empty.
It's also one of the few times on the album that Andy Lindquist expresses himself on his trusty guitar, via a nice melody line and strong, melodically charged solo (keyboards, atmospheres and lyrics take the lead on Dark Woke).
That said, the album’s run in does feature more noticeable guitar work, starting with the brooding, and slightly angular 'Skank Force One,' which seems to be lyrically linked to following number 'On a Moral Tear,' which carries a more melodic, if still dark, tone.
The shimmering 'Luck And Treasure' is hard melodic pop meeting Cheap Trick and The Who in the same studio. That it also lyrically nods to those of us who thought we would be rock stars is the icing on the guitar shaped cake ("I was a boy with a dream… Beatles boots and purple trousers, that was a future me").
An album highlight.
The pop swing of foot-tapping closer 'A Curious Thing' makes for an upbeat, carousel keys conclusion to an album that is unarguably one of Andy Lindquist’s best non-blues albums to date, both musically and lyrically. And that’s no Dark Woke sarcasm.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Dark Woke is out now on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music and YouTube