Prophecy doesn’t happen very often especially when it comes to music. Australian born Andy Kelly…aka.. Andy Clockwise proves that in between genius and madness there is divination! His recent E.P. release party of “The Good Book” held at the world famous Satellite proved that musical evangelism can cause an unsuspecting audience of heretics to the brink of uncontrolled frenzy. This is where “The Good Book” eclipses the atonal EDM world of loops, traps and dubsteps with songs that will have pagans “fist pumping” to each beat.
The Good Book… Andy Clockwise
The common press has referred to Clockwise as a disciple of Nick Cave and LCD Soundsystem. I get it but the likeness is cheap! Its more palpable comparing Clockwise to Giorgio Moroder meets Ultravox meets Kraftwerk from the 70’s when electronica was fresh, invigorating and haunting. The genre proved to be the template for disco, progressive and alternative music… Sometimes you have to take a step back in order to make that great leap forward. That’s why A.C. is so fucking awesome..
Giorgio Moroder .. Ultravox . .Kraftwerk
The show opened with the title track, “I’ve Arrived (The Good Book Pt. 1)” which sounds more like a psalm from bible study than a song. It’s the true testament of the emancipative mood created by Clockwise and his eclectic bandmates. The song concludes with the oracular passage, “You taught me to lose and you taught me to win”. Isn’t that what life is.??
The crowd was nodding for more… and more is what they got! Clockwise brought out John “J.T.” Thomas (L.A.’s hottest studio bass player whose credits include Captain Beefheart and Sparks) and they went into the funkified “Open Relationship”;which is about the trials and tribulations of triangular relationships as exposed by 70’s T.V. psycho- evangelist-frauds. Among the hysteria, audience members were chosen to dance on the stage (me included) with A.C. to purge our souls of sectarianism and dance ourselves clean while the band played on.
Clockwise’s victory lap is the song that depicts the decadence of the 70’s, “Cocaine and Champagne” with its pounding beats and loops. The 70’s decade was all about Cocaine, Quaaludes and “Poppers”(slang for amyl nitrate which is an inhalant that would create a rush while clubbing and before sex) which were the rage. This scene was the envy of anyone who wanted to be on the inside of the “velvet rope”. Personality dysfunction and debauchery were rampant in the club scene…
If this wasn’t enough the E.P. ends with the help of Ms. Holly Valance on vocals with the Clockwise’s greatest attempt to garner the perfect pop song, “Hopeless”. This is where Andy will have his mass breakthrough and will be played all over the radio airwaves.. As I listened I realized that Clockwise is a musical genius and it won’t be long before his songs will become immortal!
We love Andy Clockwise with all his deity towards pop culture from decades back and masterminds a most engaging music I’ve. Its is as if Clockwise got “punked” by God who placed him four decades late.. and for this we are lucky to be part of music’s future. Stay Legendary