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Airwaves
Written in the wake of a brain operation that nearly cost him his life, Andrew Leahey’s sophomore LP, Airwaves, is as carpe diem as they come, an urgent sonic love letter channeling the 1980s FM-radio anthems he cut his teeth on as a kid. As with Petty and The Boss, a lot of Leahey’s songs get at the essence of young adulthood spent on the run, and just about every last one could be a set closer or an encore.
In addition to being an acclaimed solo artist featured at Rolling Stone, Billboard and American Songwriter, the Nashville-based Leahey is also a sought-after guitarist who regularly tours with Elizabeth Cook, and has backed Rodney Crowell, Drew Holcomb, Will Hoge and more. For Airwaves (out March 1), Leahey tapped multi-platinum producer Paul Ebersold, who enlisted Steelism’s John Estes and Jon Radford on bass and drums, respectively. Leahey also brought in his childhood best friend Phil Heesen III to add harmony vocals and guitar, as well as his buddy Sadler Vaden, who took a break from touring with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit long enough to drop by the studio and lay down some guitar leads on “Start the Dance,” “We Came Here to Run” and “Workin Ain’t Workin.”
Airwaves is timeless American rock & roll that rings from sea to shining sea, a candy-apple-red Mustang convertible of a record burning up the interstate with the ragtop down. With it, Leahey refines the jangly Americana of his 2016 Ken Coomer-produced debut, Skyline in Central Time, grasping for the still-smoldering torch of Petty and Springsteen, angling confidently to assume the mantle of their unpretentious everyman sound. Unadorned but poignant lyrics carried by simple, uplifting melodies. Distorted windmill guitar strums. Triumphant swells of organ cresting like whitecap foam on the ceaseless ocean. Driving bass lines locked tight with the kick, pumping in unison like the pistons of an engine straight off a 1980s Detroit assembly line. Would-be stadium anthems loping forward, the echoing crack of the snare faithfully charting miles per song. In an era hellbent on declaring the genre doornail dead, Airwaves is the kind of record that could only be made by a true believer in the power of rock & roll.
“The man who might just be the heir to Tom Petty.” – Americana UK
“A celebration of the sounds that became an important foundation for so many people growing up.” – Belwood Music
“A heartfelt homage to Leahey’s rock heroes.” – Billboard
“A blast.” – Rolling Stone
“Anthemic.” – Wide Open Country
“Passionate…rekindles the spirit of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers along with Steve Earle in a rock 101 sample that brings together all the essential facets of a song.” – Glide Magazine
“The kind of music that makes you feel good in the truest sense.” – Americana Highways
“Leaning more to the rock side of Americana and alt-country.” – The Boot
“Outstanding…a universal sound that will appeal to a wide audience.” – Staccatofy
“Happy and danceable…evoking nostalgia.” – Where the Music Meets
Publicist: Rachel Hurley
“Rachel understands the music business AND truly understands bands. She’s a champion for real art, and her work goes beyond the cut-and-dry boundaries of a standard PR contract.” – Andrew Leahey
