Acoustic album displays talent despite unoriginal songs

Andrew Ripp is fairly new to the music scene, but has already released an album that offers little new material. In 2008, he released his first album, Fifty Miles to Chicago. Since then, he has released three albums and two singles.

The latest album, Simple, has 11 songs, only one of which is new for Andrew Ripp. It is not, however, an actual new song. Andrew Ripp has recorded a cover of “Mirrors,” a song originally sung by Justin Timberlake, and placed it alongside his returning songs to make Simple a complete album.

While the album contains different versions of these songs, it is obvious that these are still the same songs. One fact does not make up for the other. Andrew Ripp stated that he released Simple because people hear him perform with just a guitar and piano.

He thought that releasing a “stripped down, acoustic style” album would make his CDs sound more like his actual performances. While the thought behind Simple is well intentioned, it is misplaced, making the album unnecessary to all but the most devout fans.

Just because the album was a bad idea does not mean that Andrew Ripp is a bad artist. On the contrary, his songs are rather good. “Mirrors,” as a cover version, is the exception.

Before becoming a singer himself, Andrew Ripp was a songwriter, meaning that he now writes most of his own songs. Singing something created by someone else is rather difficult, as it is hard to capture the full meaning behind the song.

Since Andrew Ripp is, for the most part, his own writer, his songs are sung the way he intended. His variety of genres is entirely a testament to his talent. Most bands and singers tend to choose a single genre and stick with it throughout their careers. Andrew Ripp, on the other hand, decided to choose two: pop and country. He also dabbles in rock, though it is clear this is not his true calling.

Though Simple is a superfluous album, the songs on it are worth a listen; it is just advisable to get the original three albums instead of the simplified compilation.

“Let Love Win” and “Rescue Me” are two great examples of Andrew Ripp’s affinity for country songs, though they are not good enough to attract more fans to the genre. “Falling for the Beat” is polar opposite as an excellent example of pop rock.

Even though only three of his four albums are worth listening to, Andrew Ripp has succeeded in the entertainment business enough to currently be on tour.

His tour, which is the first tour that he has headlined, lasts through March and includes songs from all four of his albums. His tour passes through Atlanta where he will be performing at Center Stage Vinyl.

On Feb. 15, Andrew Ripp will be performing with Judah & the Lion, a band even newer to music than Ripp himself. New does not always mean bad, but neither does it always mean good.

Either way, Andrew Ripp is a great new musician who is talented in multiple genres. He merely has the slight drawback of believing that an acoustic album of songs released less than a year ago is worthwhile.

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