THUNDER BAY – Entertainment – Andy Wolff was performing on Saturday night at The Ruby Moon on Court Street. Eddie Doran offers a look at Andy’s music for NetNewsledger.
In 1991, in issue #6 of my “Rock On” magazine (which also featured an exclusive Andy Wolff interview) I originally reviewed this release as a 12 song cassette… Here is what I had to say about it…. The overall effect of this cassette is a blend of folk & psychedelic sounds, all mixed in to form Andy’s own unique style.
My favorite tracks on here are “Manican Man”, “Far Too Gone”, “It’s Just Me”, & naturally the title track “A Hippie Kind Of Dream” which features Andy’s brilliant wordplay and lyrics that go like so… “Turn on, tune in, drop out, drop acid, in fact, in San Francisco… In hippie heaven, rock bands screaming, psychedelic elevators, getting high, hitting low…”.
Andy has also put considerable effort into the packaging and even includes a hand drawn lyric sheet of the title song – very 60’s looking (or retro as they say these days). Neil Young is obviously a major influence & there are heavy shades of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at play on this release.
And while John Fogerty is also a big influence on Andy and nobody can do a Fogerty or Creedence Clearwater Revival song like Andy and his band can, you would almost swear it was Neil Young himself performing the song “It’s Just Me”.
“Manican Man”. Well, this is my pick for a hit! (Note: It was later selected for inclusion on a “What Wave” magazine cassette tape compilation of various psychedelic artists) A very psychedelic bit of classic sixties style pop music. Great harmonies & real toe-tapping music.
“Far Too Gone”. Again, you’d think and swear it was Neil. And Neil at his best and in fine form at that.
Another bit of superb psychedelia on here is “Whatever It Brings”. Yet another classic track. I especially love the harmonica solo.
“Face The Facts” also deserves a mention as a stand out track.
All of the songs on this release are what Andy calls 4 track “demos” but you’d never know it, as they sound so much like finished studio product that you’ll be amazed when you check this one out.
The title track from this release was also featured as the closing song and stand out track (along with a song called “Stop” by a local band called Small House Stories) on the “Homegrown 1990” various local artists CD issued around the same time.
Now let’s fast forward to 2012 where we find that Andy has gone through the Electric Andyland vaults and remixed this classic “album” for a brand new 14 song CD release.
Since I wrote my original review of this release I have on many occasions seen Andy perform Neil Young songs which are so true to Neil’s own performances that it’s as if you are witnessing Neil himself performing these classics. To that end I should add that strangely enough, to this very day I have never seen Neil Young and Andy Wolff in the same place at the same time. Hm…
Recently I found time to sit down and listen to the remixed/remastered Hippie Kind Of Dream CD.
Andy has done an excellent job of re-mixing this classic for CD and I believe the timing for it is just perfect. Very well done! It sounds excellent. And the additional bonus tracks fit in nice with it as well.
The song “Wallflower” is an awesome psychedelic number that fits in here so well, that you would never know it was a bonus track recently added to this release. This song has long been a favorite of mine as well, and this new mix is the best ever.
The other additional “bonus” track is a folky type song called “Special Girl”. Another welcome addition to this classic psychedelic folk album.
A Hippie Kind Of Dream – the CD, definitely gets two thumbs up. Four actually. I played a bit of this in a friend’s van while shopping one day just before Christmas and her young son enjoyed it as well. He cried when I took it out of the CD player when I got home…. LOL
Generally he’s usually happy as long as we’ve got some Rubber Dinosaurs, T.Rex (Born To Boogie in particular), or blues music playing on the CD player that he can listen to, sing/mumble along with, or nod off to – and now it seems he’s hooked on “A Hippie Kind Of Dream”.
Too bad the kid does not have money to buy CDs with though. I’ve listened to and thoroughly enjoyed this release and these songs many times over the years. And now Andy has made it all even better with this brilliant CD remix with bonus tracks.
Buy a copy – you deserve it! Buy an extra copy for a friend who deserves a break from the tedium of today’s singing contest winners and cookie cutter Tv Channel related instant child star “idols” as well!
The only thing I would add to this would be Andy’s song “Psychedelic Plaster” (from his “Step Eleven” tape release) as it would fit in well with this release and bring the track listing up to 15 excellent Andy Wolff songs on one CD.
Take Care & Rock On!
Eddie