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Drew Rivers: Believe

Drew Rivers, aka Andre Ruiz, presents a 13-track album that is true to the best do-it-yourself kiwi tradition. Unashamedly self-produced, Rivers has handled virtually everything. The material varies between pop/rock that stylistically conjures up various images of Lennon/McCartney and Robbie Williams, to avant-garde tracks like Angel of Light - starting with a rather bold rendition of a liturgical prayer - and The New Acoustic which appears to be anything but. There's a sense of joyous artistic abandon in this album, giving it a refreshingly unconstrained feel. According to the accompanying note, Rivers is seeking management and a recording contract - a quest in which I hope he succeeds, because the talent is definitely there in musicianship, song craft and vocals. While there is a certain earthy reality to some home studio projects, they don't always make for stable radio airplay and these songs are good enough to deserve being revisited in a more commercially viable form. If you're not a radio program director, it makes for a good listen. Further information from andre_ruiz1@hotmail.com

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