Andy Martinez

Andy Martinez' "My name Ain't Sonny" is gothic blues at it's best. His low growl is a combination Tom Waits and Shane MacGowan, slowed down to a crawl. I'd say the most similar band playing today is Chicago's The Gunshy but nobody knows them so... The song's title is a reference to the line "I'll be Sonny if you'll be Cher" and that's the first of several clever lines. Race the Buzzard Home just came out and is available here(cdbaby.com); it features the cream of the Lubbock crop including Amanda Shires on violin, Jake Unruh on guitar and guests Lloyd Maines and Colt Miller.
- Songs:Illinois

Andy Martinez is a new talent from Lubbock, Texas, and only that communication already will at a part of the readers high team expectations call up. The city in West Texas has to love a name high on the territory of stubborn artists. Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Terry Allen give each on particular manner filling-out at the term americana. They live no longer in Lubbock, but in that city, Cary Swinney set the tradition on excellent manner forward. And now there is thus Andy Martinez. Its debut produced Race The Buzzard Home (own management) he together with Swinney known Alan Crossland. Fine numbers bow stand be there on this cd and that yet it best to compare with the work of Richard Buckner, that its first plate Bloomed took up also in Lubbock. Andy Martinez has a larynx by which the allergrofste shed paper by. A voice of which Mark Lanegan and Tom Waits would been frightened will.In My Name Ain't Sonny ends Martinez almost gargling; rattling as if the dead each moment can enter. Born In Blood is a beautiful opening song with pedal steal of Lloyd Maines and violin of Amanda Shires. Maines does not come after that, but Shires is present on five numbers. The violinist makes disturb to love part from the Thrift Store Cowboys, in such a way a group from Lubbock in the holes, and also was to be heard on the debut of Waiting To Derail. Of that group, Martinez involved roast is Brad Ivy and Zach Davis that the rhythm sections form in such a way in its own tie guitarist. The violin game of Shires just stuck out by the almost ghostly atmosphere that Martinez calls up with its growling voice. And in such a way are the songs over (lost) loves through the life drawn, succeeds growl Andy Martinez there in round with that to produce really a warm sound. He has also yet a fine number over Otis Redding. (John Gjaltema) Race The Buzzard Home is available with CD Baby

- www.altcountry.nl

There again appears to be something going in Lubbock, Texas. We spoke approvingly recently over The Thrift Store Cowboys and now Andy Martinez is at the turn. He makes one's debut with Race The Buzzard Home and gets that help from Colt Miller. Just yes, of The Thrift Store Cowboys. I would be able to compare both acts with each other, but that is not the intention. The Thrift Store Cowboys play namely above the ground and Martinez does that deeply below it. There where only what candlelight appears. Born In Blood opens with the confession that most beautiful color is the black in her eyes is. It says immediately everything. Lloyd Maines plays beautifully on the pedal steel and Martinez sings full of melancholy. Or better: growls! Martinez handles singing namely in the Tom Waits-manner. That is an art, or an art only the state no matter how in fine contrast with the jaunty violin game of Amanda Shires, the piano sounds of Anthony Garcia on You Get What You Get or the all earlier named guitar of Maines during the kickoff. Lies, Romance, Blood summarize the themes of this negental yet once tersely. Race The Buzzard Home feels heavy but pleasantly, if a stomach after an excessive only lovely dinner. (Patrick Thunders)
- www.Hanx.net

Beautiful modest Americana, but sung through a voice that seems to be a crossing between Tom Waits and our own Arno Hintjens, that can give you an idea of "Race The Buzzard Home" by Andy Martinez. Dark songs, for there borrows the "Growl" from Andy, as the Americans call this type of voice, at it's best. The accompaniment, by which the beautiful fiddle of Amanda Shires plays an important role, and equally the pedal-steel of Lloyd Maines, is soft and atmospheric, in sharp contrast with the raw roughness of Andy's voice. Still in spite of this atmosphere is at times threatening and bitter, as in "I'll Have Another Drink" where the "go f**ck yourselfs" fly around your ears. Also in "Lies, Romance, Blood" and "Head Full or Crazy", we hear nothing but anger and bitterness. This must be the darkest record in the last months that we have reviewed on Rootstime, but "Race The Buzzard Home" is beautiful, a diamond in its uncut ruffness. The texts are like the voice, direct and rough, without fringe. Texts about hate, sadness and anger, that in spite of the theme still has a warm sound. Exquisite production of Allan Crossland (Richard Buckner-Terry Allan) knows how to best transmit the threatening sphere, without making the whole sound too somber. A beautiful cd of an angry young man.(RON)
- www.RootsTime.be

4.5 stars out of 5. Self-released
Lone Star singer-songwriter with his own gritty approach. Texan Andy Martinez is a gifted storyteller who possesses a whiskey-soaked growl of a voice. Though he loosely fits into the country genre, this is strong, black, bitter and powerful in a way no country album will be this year. Produced by Alan Crossland and recorded in the Acuff Studios, Texas, RACE THE BUZZARD HOME sees Martinez enter the studio with a host of Texas legends, from the amazing Lloyd Maines (pedal steel), Brad Ivy (bass), Zach Davis (drums), Colt Miller (guitar), Brian McRae (guitar), and Anthony Garcia (piano) to young Amanda Shires (violin, vocals). On the first cut of this blues flavoured record, Andy offers the country styled Born In Blood with stunning pedal steel doing battle with Shires' doomy violin work with a JJ Cale or Eric Clapton vibe.There's a slighter brighter side to My Name Ain't Sonny with the violin countered by Amanda's fellow Thrift Store Cowboy Colt Miller's restrained electric lead guitar meanderings. There's a lovely duet with Shires on the title song, and an almost acoustic feel to the downtrodden You Get What You Get , with Garcia's piano this time pushing and weaving teh funeral rhythm, and some ethereal fiddle over a simple bass and drums anchor. Those growling vocals can get a little wearing, but the compelling lyrics and well-executed musical backdrop overcome and shortcomings. It takes a lot out of you, this record. Everybody should own a few like that. AC - Maverick Country Magazine

Brian - Down-tempo ambient alt-country Tom Waits… seriously. Some great songs, dark guitars, weirdly haunting lyrics. This is great music if you're drunk, which thankfully I am. I'll probably like it sober.
- Hybrid Magazine