Andrew Gabbard Cedar City Sweetheart (CD)

(Karma Chief Records) 12 tracks, digisleeve.

Andrew Gabbard releases his second work as a solo artist, "Cedar City Sweetheart" in 2023. The songs will sound familiar to fans of his debut album, but the new instrumentation and country-heavy lyrics give us a glimpse into a different side of Andrew. "I love it when a rock band makes a country album," he explained, pointing to The Byrds as a major source of inspiration.

On his solo debut, Homemade, Andrew played every instrument. This time, he brought in some local musicians to add more color to the songs. "Originally, I didn't have access to much recording equipment. I recorded my parts with an iPhone. My friends recorded their parts professionally so I could put them together and re-record the core of each song." The end product is a better-sounding, polished group of songs that come together to make a country album.

The songs were written over several years, but they are all still very fresh in Andrew's mind. "I can remember a specific moment when I wrote each of these songs. They're simple songs that came to me naturally." Although Andrew has co-written and contributed to countless albums over the years, this one truly feels like his second.