It's Decided

After making a strong comeback album in 2011, singer/songwriter Andy Kim returns in 2015 with another album, It's Decided, destined to show that people who have him pegged as a one-hit wonder don't know the whole story. Yes, "Rock Me Gently" was a big, big deal, but there's always been more to Andy Kim than just that. The guy also wrote "Sugar Sugar," after all! This chapter features the songwriter working with his good friend Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene on a set of songs about wisdom, getting older, living a good life, and other heady topics, capped by a dreamlike cover of his 1968 bubblegum classic "Shoot 'Em Up." Drew brought along fellow indie rockers like Dave Hamelin of the Stills, Ohad Benchetrit of Do Make Say Think, and the multi-talented John McEntire to help create a sound one could call the anti-Rubin effect, since instead of presenting an icon in stark black and white as Rick Rubin has most famously done with Johnny Cash, Drew and friends build a sweeping cloud of peaceful sound that surrounds Kim's heartfelt lyrics and still-strong voice like a comforting pillow. It's an interesting approach that gives the songs a cinematic feel and Kim makes the most of it, giving his simple words a concrete-heavy conviction that makes every line he sings feel important. Thanks to Drew's behind-the-scenes work and Kim's always impressive songwriting, It's Decided is more than just another comeback album; it's proof that Andy Kim is here to stay.