Andrew Van Garratt – ‘Point Nemo’

There are albums that announce exactly what they are within the first minute, and then there are records like Point Nemo by Andrew Van Garratt, which seem almost determined to keep you guessing from beginning to end. It’s one of those rare releases that refuses to sit comfortably inside a single genre, borrowing colours from across the musical spectrum without ever sounding like a patchwork exercise. Market it as pop rock and you’re only telling half the story. Scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find an album steeped in the psychedelic spirit of the late sixties and early seventies, seasoned with enough melodic charm and eccentricity to make it feel both nostalgic and refreshingly individual.

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“Do you know what, I really like that, it’s got a proper sense of summer with it hasn’t it, it just feels nice, Andrew Van Garratt and his latest offering your BBC Introducing Track Of the Day what arrear to have that this morning”

“Andrew Van Garratt that is and “Hurting”. Love that track , got echoes of The Beach Boys about it. The track there “Hurting” is a track from his latest album which is out on the 9th of July with Karl Thompson on drums. The album is called Point Nemo and we love that. Micheala pointed out The Beach Boy style vocals going on. I don’t think it is intentional necessarily but the harmonies are just on point, they really are, i really like that very much indeed. Andrew Van Garratt is your man there”

“Andrew Van Garratt “It’s A Trap” On BBC Radio Nottingham, brand new music from him what do you think? He was part of a band for quite a long time called No Hope In New Jersey had alot of play on BBC Radio 1 and MTV then he went solo and has released 14 albums since, busy guy, influencer by David Bowie, Beatles and Black Sabbath, I enjoyed that one, thought it was good, something little bit different”

“A man of many different tones, but that one different to anything we have heard from him before and I really like it, its called Its A Trap”

“He’s a great guitarist, his name is Andy Van Garratt, he has a new album out, he’s had quite a few over the years, an exquisite guitarist, and this new album I tell you, words fail me I don’t think theres a bad track on it or even a weak one”

“Andrew Van Garratt that is and Towed Away a song about life’s tapestry include heartbreak, sailing the sea and trying to escape but always finding themselves back where they started, produced by JP Reid and new in by Andrew Van Garratt one of our most consistent uploaders, once signed to Atlantic Records back in the day but now making music and is free as a bird.”

“That’s Andrew Van Garratt and Sing your way.

Andrew said the world sometimes can be so fast and chaotic, sometimes it’s best to slow down and just sing. We all hail that.

In collaboration with Karl Thompson who’s on drums there and Michaela you like that very much “I do like that, i was listening to that this afternoon and i absolutely love that, do you know who it reminds me of? Go on, Brian Wilson, yes, a huge compliment but I totally get it, “yeah i love that sound”.

Andrew Van Garratt was here not so long ago, whenever he makes a new song there’s always a slight reinvention there, you don’t quite know what you’re going to get, always brilliant, always high end. That’s called Sing Your Way.”

“No stranger to this program, a regular in fact. Andrew Van Garratt and “Just Two” that is, a brand new track, came in this week. That’s another track from the new album being released on the 15th Of November its called Test World”

“Andrew Van Garratt and “Hold On” that is, he is a regular on the show, he’s had a great career in music and now a solo artist and doing great things as well as you can hear from that, it’s called Hold On and brand new in this week.” 

“Ever prolific Andrew Van Garratt, residing in Leicester these days (having previously been in Northants), brings us Out of Nowhere. This is short, snappy and uplifting Alt Pop-Rock with Andy’s multi-tracked harmonised vocals accompanied by driving guitars and solid undercurrents while he also executes a fine guitar solo before the track is out. Invigorating stuff.”

Andrew Van Garratt who’s no stranger to this show, played many of his tunes for the past few years and he mixes and matches his styles of music so well and he can turn his hand onto almost anything I think, that’s at the commercial end, the accessible poppy end of what he does then, I love that as well. It’s called Hollywood Star, brand new in this week by Andrew Van Garratt.

Andrew Van Garratt, a regular uploader and that’s a brand new track from him, slightly different to the stuff he has been sending through recently, slightly different sound, I like it very much. Andrew Van Garratt and it’s called “Don’t You Know”.

It’s called Average Connor. It comes from Leicester Musician Andrew Van Garratt. It’s our BBC Introducing Track Of the Week. Chosen by the lovely Dean Jackson.

Andrew Van Garratt and “In These Old Shoes”, a song about being so tired in these old shoes . Andrew Van Garratt is another artist who uploads more music than almost anybody else on BBC Introducing Radio Leicester, prolific absolutely prolific. 

“Brilliant track there by Andrew Van Garratt, that was Skyline here on BBC Radio Leicester”

“Andrew Van Garratt, the track is called Skyline, prolific singer songwriter, influenced by the likes of David Bowie, 80s synth music and Steely Dan, a good cross section of influences there, the track brand new in this week via the BBC Introducing uploader and it’s called Skyline”

“Andrew Van Garratt on BBC Radio Nottingham, BBC Introducing artist of the day with his song Time Will Show, and that was rather good wasn’t it, and did you hear at the beginning he said he was originally signed to Atlantic Records, had significant airplay on MTV and Radio 1 with his old band No Hope In New Jersey? He’s released 5 albums and this is his latest song all about daydreaming, just in case you were daydreaming while it was on. I think you can hear his influences in his music, David Bowie, one of his influences, 80s synth music, Steely Dan , those kind of things, well done Andrew, good track.”

“Andrew Van Garratt and Time Will Show, that’s catchy isn’t it. It’s very catchy and the vocal delivery as ever just sounding phenomenal on that track too”

“That is proper proper, I love that, Andrew Van Garratt and “At One”, that’s our BBC Track Of The Day. Proper Bowie Vibes”

“Here’s another fine track by a guy called Andrew Van Garratt, he is a singer songwriter, put out 5 albums over the years, and just put out a new album called Plausible Deniability, it’s a lovely album and this is a great track, its called Passers By 

I do like that. It’s by a guy called Andrew Van Garratt, who has brought out 5 albums, just remember that name, I think something is going to happen with that guy, he’s going to be big and he produces some great music. The track Passers By from the brand new album Plausible Deniability, well worth listening too”

“Leicester-based Andrew Van Garratt is a regular at Fresh on the Net where he has made the faves on various occasions. The ex-No Hope in New Jersey member, who was signed to Atlantic, continues to make good quality Alt Rock and Pop tracks so it is good to have an album’s worth of them to review. Plausible Deniability has ten tracks of energetic, melodic guitar-driven songs.

It kicks off with Can’t Let Go, a summery slice of melodic Alt Pop. Andy’s voice takes the verses in octaves before harmonies give the chorus extra punch. The root bass with chords changing above it brings a retro feel and there’s a sweet synth melody. The guitar responding to the subsequent choruses is very classic. This would make a great single. Recent single Never Set follows with a more driving feel but similarly spacious arrangement with big harmonies and melodic guitars.

As the album continues we get a clever contrast of moods, always with strong melodic content and prominent guitars and vocal harmonies. Influences can be hard to pinpoint. There is actually a hint of Queen here and there alongside poppier references and a definite US influence of what Stuart Maconie likes to call Yacht Rock (albeit I don’t accept the term!). Passers By is a good example with its piano chords on the onbeat, harmonised guitars and multi-tracked vocals. Andy has a lovely knack of rising up into falsetto that he does really well. Pulling all the strings is another in similar vein with some particularly rich vocal harmonies in the hook.

Everything about the album reinforces the sense of accomplished musicianship and a sophisticated level of songwriting. He can rock out too as with the riffing guitars and synths on Deny Reality. It ends with Constant State of Flux in waltz-like triplet time and shades of Todd Rundgren (which, by the way, is always a compliment). It is a strong finish to a lovingly crafted set of really well-written and arranged songs.”

“I like the song, so there it is for your listening pleasure.”

“Brilliant, how good is that, thats a proper Monday banger by Andrew Van Garratt and “On A Bad Vibe”

“That’s “Deny Reality” – Great sound coming out of Leicester, here in the UK.”

“Before that we heard the pin perfect mersey beat swagger of Certain Way by the eclectic and wildly prolific east midlands artist Andrew Van Garratt.”

“Brilliant, love that, Andrew Van Garratt and Certain Way”

“Leicester’s Andrew Van Garratt is a former member of the Atlantic-signed No Hope in New Jersey and a familiar name to Fresh On The Net readers. His music has been used in adverts and on TV and he has performed all over the world. A prolific songwriter who submits tracks most weeks, he was an Eclectic Pick not long ago and I am sure he has been a Fave in the past too. He has also had BBC Introducing in the East Midlands support in the past week for this song.

My long-time close friend, fellow musician and reviews writer Paul F Cook noted, when voting for this track at the Listening Post, that “… the chord progressions keep you on your toes” and I concur. Andrew is a highly accomplished musician and he utilises his knowledge well to come up with a chord construction full of imagination and surprises. The song is melodic and breezes along at a mid-tempo pace with trademark AVG harmonies adorning the main vocal. Catchy, inventive and expertly executed.”

“Love it, I think he just one of those super super talented people, like multi instrumentalist and everything, you can find out more about him online he’s Andrew Van Garratt on all the socials,  the track is Certain Way”

“Thats Andrew Van Garratt and “Passers By”, he knows how to write a great song doesn’t he. A regular on the program there, brand new in this week,  just love it, it’s a very autumnal song”

“Andrew Van Garratt that is “Pulling All The Strings”. I have been playing him for quite some time.  I absolutely love what he does. You get many styles of music in Andrew Van Garratt. I will be forwarded that to Radio Leicester for one of their tracks of the week as well. Such a good song.”

“Andrew Van Garratt who’s one of the most played artists on this show for the past few years, he’s a brilliant and prolific musician as well. He uploads so much material and it’s always of a very quality as well, just gonna have to pause to give other people a chance sometime, thats “They Take Away” by Andrew Van Garratt”

On “No Simpatico” (first broadcast self produced track) – “Fell in love with it instantly, great track, lovely production on it”

Ride Into The Sun EP review: “A stompy selection of big bold bubblegum pop rock songs. Andrew offers infectious choruses, crunchy guitars, and instantly brings great Californian bands the likes of Red Kross and Weezer to mind.”

…moving on nicely to Andrew Van Garratt who keeps the funky guitars flowing in a way that shows us that much can be achieved by keeping things simple.

Dedicated to Nobody review: “A lucky thirteen cuts of stomping pop rock from this versatile performer, often either with an anthemic eighties edge, or a stark underground industrial feel.”

You may recognise Andrew Van Garratt’s music with a band called No Hope In New Jersey. This track is called Hey, Into The Void, love those vocals, stuck in your head, bit like Django Django. This is my track of the week.

Hey, Into The Void is my favourite track to date from Andrew Van Garratt former frontman with the band No Hope In New Jersey who was signed to Atlantic Records in the early 00s. The new edge and urgency in Andys work sounds like he positively had to make this music or he would explode and it promises extremely well for his 2nd solo album expected later this year.

‘I Don’t Know’ (radio version) is “Track Of The Week” on BBC Radio Leicester and is being featured on Ben Jackson’s Mid Morning show every day of the week of April 13th. 2020.

On ‘I Don’t Know’ (radio version) — “He mixes his sound up a lot, he has some rockier moments and tender moments and all beautifully sung though and the production always on point.”

Andrew’s polished solo album is an eclectic mix of raucous anthems and whimsical balladry which manages to uncover something fresh from the pop-rock template.

“Hey Into The Void” – It’s short, savage and urgent – sounding like an artist who HAD to make this music or he would explode. Right up my street.

If “Approval Removal” doesn’t get stuck in your head we don’t know what will – It’s the awesome sound of Andrew Van Garratt playing right now on #BBCintroducing

Absolutely amazing! Riffs man, just riffs. There’s not enough widdle-fest in metal music or rock music [these days].

Catchy as you like and his tracks always infiltrate the brain and the mind, you find yourself humming them over breakfast the next day.

Work Of Fiction does indeed pull influence from many musical styles and bands, but even so, if you’re not too familiar with any of the aforementioned, Van Garratt’s work should please the choosiest of listeners. I for one hope to hear more from him soon.

Riffs, Andrew Van Garratt, My Main Man, Always Bringing Those Riffs, The Track Is Called Standard Affair.