Exclaim! praises: "Andrews, the ‘alternative Phil Spector’, and brainchild behind the much heralded group Failure, who arguably are the genesis of the chromatic processed guitar sound (currently perpetuated by former member Troy Van Leeuwen, who took it to A Perfect Circle and Queens of the Stone Age), and whom also earned accolades worldwide and gained great support by the likes of other left-field dark rockers such as Tool."
Since producing and mixing Fantastic Planet, a new career opened up for Ken, as bands and artists found themselves drawn to his aural sensibilities. Easily segueing into his second calling as a producer/mixer, Ken has worked for numerous acts—including Beck, Pete Yorn, Tenacious D, A Perfect Circle, Jimmy Eat World, Mae, and Blink-182.
In 2000, Ken continued as a recording artist with his first solo project, ON (Epic Records), and later with the band Year of the Rabbit (Elektra). “I enjoy making records. Whether I’m helping other artists enhance their vision as a producer or mixer, or writing and recording my own stuff as an artist; I find both worlds to benefit each other, as I invariably pick up skills and techniques from the artists I produce and vice versa. I find wearing both hats equally satisfying creatively.”
Now, Ken returns to the scene with his first solo release as Ken Andrews. “I’m very excited about this album [Secrets of the Lost Satellite]. I’ve had the opportunity to ask various people I’ve worked with over the years to come in and collaborate with me this time. I brought in two of my oldest musical cohorts, Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, IMA Robot) and Jordon Zadorozny (Blinker the Star, Abbey) to co-produce the new album with me. Justin’s accomplished career as a top L.A. studio bassist (Tori Amos, Air, Garbage, The Mars Volta) and his experience as Beck’s live musical director and bassist has prepared him well for the tasks of producer. His main concept for this record, and the driving force as to why this album is decidedly different from my previous solo work, was to bring in a live band to overdub as a unit, on top of my fairly finished and detailed demos. The band consisted mostly of Beck’s current live group, whom I had met when I was hired by Beck to contribute to the Nacho Libre Soundtrack (Brian Lebarton, Matt Mahaffey, Matt Sherrod, and Justin Stanley). We all got together for a two-day recording session, which was one of the most exciting of my life. These guys are so tuned in to each other. Listening to them come up with ideas, and in some cases completely transforming my songs—was a huge rush for me. While the basic structures and all the vocals stayed the same, the songs became injected with a live, undulating quality, that enhanced the basic feel I was going for, but took it far beyond what I thought was possible.”
“The creative process has been very liberating and free flowing. I finally have taken the pressure off of myself, in terms of playing most of the instruments, and really used my skills as the songwriter and overall auteur of the album to my advantage,” he explains.
“Write Your Story”, a track Ken co-wrote with Jordon Zadorozny, strays from what is heard on past Failure, ON, and Rabbit releases. Somewhere in the musical vein of Air and The Doves, the dreamy undertones of the song echo alongside luxuriant vocals.
“Jordon and I have worked together a lot in the past, except with the underlying roles reversed (I was producing him in the past). We both, play, sing, engineer, and produce, so we tend to get into the nitty-gritty of things real quick. Jordon is one of the very few people I’m completely comfortable writing with for my own album. He and I share a writing sensibility that we don’t talk about, it just happens. Plus, he completely understands my musical history and what I was trying to achieve on this album. His role was primarily co-producer, but he played quite a few instruments on various songs, and he co-wrote probably my favorite song on the album, “Write Your Story.”
“Secret Things”, one of the album’s standout tracks, combines tripped-out strings with a synth-bass groove creating a demanding, viscerally appeal. Live instruments (drums, piano, and guitar) mingle with electronic elements. Strong, hooky vocals keep the song on course. “In Your Way”, another stylistically dynamic track pulls the listener into an eerie, enticing space/dream world.
Secrets of the Lost Satellite is expected in stores on March 13, 2007 courtesy of Dinosaur Fight Records. “I think people are going to hear things that they are used to hearing from me on this album, but they are also going to hear things that I haven’t really done in the past,” explains Ken.
A three-week promotional headline tour is slated to coincide with the anticipated release. This tour will be Ken’s first return to the live scene since touring with Year of the Rabbit in 2003.
without
Ken Andrews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Past open doors
Strip away the paradise
I can't touch the floor
Dust upon the dust
Paint over paint
Floating on a gentle breeze
Above the road
I want your love
Without
All of the time
Without
Sunlight stains the water boat
Drops fall in sync
This is the truth of anything
That's from above
I want your love
Without
All of the time
Without
I want your love
Without
All of the time
Without
The song "Without" by Ken Andrews seems to discuss the idea of vulnerability and a longing for genuine love and connection unencumbered by external factors. The use of imagery in the first verse depicts a sense of disillusionment with the world: shadows beating their way inside past open doors, dust upon dust, paint over paint, floating on a gentle breeze above the road. This creates a sense of detachment and isolation from reality. However, the chorus shifts to a more hopeful tone and reveals the central theme of the song, with the repeated line "I want your love without all of the time," suggesting a desire for a deep, authentic love that is not conditioned on specific circumstances or expectations.
The second verse continues with the use of imagery, showing the beauty and harmony of nature with the line "sunlight stains the water boat, drops fall in sync." The following line, "this is the truth of anything that's from above," could be interpreted as a commentary on the fleeting nature of material possessions and superficial connections, in contrast to the enduring quality of genuine love which comes from a higher source.
Overall, "Without" is a poignant reflection on the human desire for authentic connection and love that transcends the superficial and fleeting aspects of our world.
Line by Line Meaning
Shadows beat their way inside
Darkness overpowers my surroundings
Past open doors
Through opportunities long gone
Strip away the paradise
Remove the illusion of perfection
I can't touch the floor
I feel disconnected and lost
Dust upon the dust
Neglect and disregard for something old
Paint over paint
Masking the insecurities with more insecurities
Floating on a gentle breeze
Drifting aimlessly with no direction
Sunlight stains the water boat
Nature's beauty shining through
Drops fall in sync
The consistent rhythm of life
This is the truth of anything
Realizing the reality of every situation
I want your love
Seeking emotional connection
Without
Minus the negatives
All of the time
Constantly, without pause or exception
Without
Minus the negatives
I want your love
Seeking emotional connection
Without
Minus the negatives
All of the time
Constantly, without pause or exception
Without
Minus the negatives
Contributed by Chase T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
felicia bess
Beautiful !!
Armitage
My fav song off the album
thenoiboi
just to be clear, i own this, but thanks for putting it up. i was JUST about to make a vid to put up myself and i figured one more search might help. 10 million points for liking amazing music!
DNA GLITCH GAMING
Like a breath of fresh air but from 11 years ago. Shit is Fantastic, pun intended.