I had your FAWM playlist going and sort of forgot I was supposed to be active listening, but this one pulled me right back into it... then I saw your liner notes. I know the feeling of not being happy with something but needing to get it out, but this is great. I'm curious to see what you do with it, because I think it works far better than you it seems. You better close the stadium with this one, because all those lighters and voices in unison are going to violate some sort of by-law.

I'm a little perplexed at the narrative, but oh what a great narrative it is. That second verse paints a pretty vivid picture, although I'm a little unsure that being denied pastries is an apt consequence, but then Ive never had a Chelsea Bun.

Congratulations on the FAWM "win", especially with only 23 days to do it. A great start as well. I share the sentiment on production. Part of me wants to do RPM next year because I wonder if I had too, could I move fast on production? It sounds a lot more exhausting than FAWM, that's for sure.

Well sir, you smashed this challenge - and ended up with a stunning unplugged album. It's made me want to hear some of your established tracks with similar stripped-down arrangements, leading the listener to concentrate on the sheer artistry of your words and astonishingly soulful vocal. Next challenge for you is the 24 hours album. 24 minutes of original music in 24 hours. I believe it originated on alonetone. Off you go.

Glad you didn't bin it! Liking the driving feel - immediately hooky also.

A sweet almost-lullaby - glad this one found a home in your February. So very pretty.

Really love this melody and the breezy feel. Some gorgeous little acoustic guitar runs in there too.

Great song writing - loving the sentiment and your tender vox here. I love it when the FAWM and RPM parameters draw out his kind of track, any more of an arrangement would detract from the message - IMHO.

Woohoo! Logged in and back from Brighton. <3 Can now fave this utter classic.

Hauntingly sad and beautiful

Great tune Andrew. we held back on a few old ideas too. i'm glad you put it out there

Hehehe... there's LOTS of youthful angst is these Songs from the Shoebox... possibly an embarrassing amount... You wait... let's see if I'm brave enough to record the ones from 1978/9!!!

That's rather wonderful ...... a bit of youthful angst ??

You've been a writer / poet for so many years!!! How delightful to put these songs out. I'm glad you found the shoe box.

Another beautiful piece of storytelling through haunting voice and gentle music

You sing these words perfectly … I am just in awe of your story telling

So lyrical

Intrigued … who is this written for? Whoever it is is a lucky person … love this

I saw your comments on my site. Thanks. It sounds like you’ve got this recording process figured out. I’m still learning as I go. Thank God for YouTube. 😎

Another little gem ......

Sounds summery to me.... off to find the other one

I'm liking the kinda sparse but cluttered vibe I'm getting from this. Yep, dirty, that describes it well. And that ominous but bouncy synth motif... Yeah, nice one.

Summery - check, Duran Duran - check, Cow Bell- check, all present and correct :) Cool sounds. I was at university, in a rock/metal band, writing songs with titles like "Daughter Of The Pharoahs" ("You've got the looks of your motherrr... Stained with the blood of your brotherrrr") .... I liked Duran Duran, but the dudes I was with would not be convinced that "catchy" was a good thing... Funnily enough, I found a photo a while back - I was the only one who would have looked out of place in a Duran Duran photoshoot!!

I'm about to get called into a zoom meeting for work... I'll be back for the rest after

I've always imagined you younger than me. But if you were doing this in 77 (I was 14 and in a choir, and writing songs about Garden Gnomes), then obviously not! This is mighty cool stuff for back then... wow

Oh yes. I'm liking this big time. A: Sweet song. B: That guitar... whoa... Luther Perkins lives on...

It would be a good track for running, yep. But we (me and Mrs R) wondered if you could shorten it a bit for us, don't think we could run for that long :)

My wife went "I like the bird picture" when I was looking at the latest playlists, explaining that if I uploaded all the ones I've got ready then I'd hog the top of the front page so that's why I'm waiting.... I said that picture's Djörk - wow... haven't heard Djörk music for ages... I'm educating her now :) Hope you're ok in these interesting times.

... oh I'd forgotten the guitars coming in at the 4 minute or so mark! :)

I'm just a guitars and sore fingers kinda guy really... but you synthy-guys are begining to get to me... I'm starting to understand! (My wife's gonna kill you all if I start buying keyboards too!!)

This is, indeed, amazing. This time I'm hearing it on the big stereo in the living room... with the sound turned down on the TV... and there were a lot of images of a young Heinrich Himmler going by... not sure if the two were meant to fit together so well... but they did

And this... I've listened before, favourited, but didn't comment... not sure why I didn't... both listens have grabbed me all the way through to the last note... the strings in the middle are gorgeous...

Wow... just wow... had it on the big stereo... and.... wow

You had me with "If I start by making a better me / It will help to make a better we" ... I was listening without reading what it was about. In fact, I didn't make the connection until after I had finished the first listen. But it was "wooooo" ... You've created a song that gets to the heart of a thing without being tied to the thing that made the writer write it... that's magical... I agree with Greg - it's an anthem... wow... many thanks for saying what many of us think, feel, and wanted to say....

Woah... Superb

The Guiness drinkers owe it to themselves to listen to this, favourite it, and... have another Guiness. The less enlightened need to start drinking Guiness... but remember, everyone, that "alcohol is not a coping mechanism"... doesn't actually apply to Guiness, obviously (because it counts towards your 5 A Day, same as Red Wine and Potato Chips)

Love it!!!

Oh yeah... gorgeous harmonica sounds.

Oh yeah! Like it. Welcome.

Nice one. I'm getting an 1812 overture sort of vibe out of it... especially with the triumphant end that, yeah, hasn't actually happened yet... but who's counting?(!)