Andy Peake Pocket Change

July 27, 2024

Andy Peake

Pocket Change

Big Little Records

This the follow-up to Andy Peake’s 2021 debut album “Mood Swings”. Once again drummer Peake is deep in the pocket on this self-produced effort engineered, mixed and mastered at Big little Recording by Peake, and his consultant Karen Leipziger. Peake plays drums and takes all vocals throughout the recording. He is joined by guitarists Will McFarlane (Bonnie Raitt); Kenny Vaughan, (Marty Stuart); James Pennebaker (Delbert McClinton); Tom Britt (Vince Gill); and Sam Broussard (Michael Martin Murphy). Bassists include Paul Ossola (Levon Helm Band); David Abdo; and Bob Marinelli (Beth Hart). Keyboardist Kevin McKendree (Grammy Winner); joins keyboardists Jody Nardone, Al Hill, Phillip Wolfe and Jeff Taylor (Elvis Costello). The horn section includes Muscle Shoals All-Stars; Brad Guinn, saxophone; and Steve Herman, trumpet. The background vocalists include Shaun Murphy (Little Feat); Andrea Zonn (James Taylor); and Mindy M. Miller.

Seven of the ten tracks on “Pocket Change” are written or co-written by Peake, one is from Jordan Chassan, and two are from Dan Penn. The opening track includes Harmonica ace Tim Gartland, while guitarists McFarlane and Eagon, share the attack with both Abdo and Marinelli on bass “I want to tell you about my baby…she’s as good as it gets”. On “The Scuffle” Nardone is on piano, while Broussard plays 2nd guitar, and Murphy harmonizes, “it started down south maybe New Orleans…Now we’re all doing that scuffle thing”.

“Somebody’s Gotta Do It” is the first Dan Penn song, a funky cover, with pianist Al Hill, and Guin on saxophone, as Peake sings “when it comes to heavy lovin’, she’s got the right equipment”. The other Dan Penn song is the well-known “You Left The Water Runnin” with the lyric “you pulled the shade way down low, disconnected your telephone. You left the water running, running from these eyes of mine” while Nardone plays both the Hammond B-3, and piano.

“One Fine Day” is the song by Chassan. He and Britt are on guitar. “One fine day, mighty change is gonna’ come this way. Everything is gonna be easy”. “So Many Drummers” includes drummer Peake taking a solo as he doubles on percussion, “the past goes fast when there is so little time”. “The Blues Is Here To Stay”, “I don’t know when it hit me, ain’t nothin’ more to say…the blues is here to stay”. On my favorite “Neighbor To Neighbor with keyboards played by Gregg Mangiafico, Peake croons “I’m watching the news” and “it seems we’ve forgotten that we’re all the same…we’re on this planet but not for too long…if we don’t get it right it all will be gone”.

“Samsong” is co-written with Leipziger and about her dog Sam, “He’s a lot more human than some people I know. Speaks without words, goes with the flow. If you’re lookin’ for answers its no surprise. You can talk to God when you look in his eyes“

I Don’t Believe Nothin’”, “I don’t believe your goin to open my eyes…I don’t believe nothin’, that I don’t want to”. Peake is a great songwriter, as well as drummer and vocalist. He utilizes a pool of friends, all world class musicians, on “Pocket Change”. This shining album should bring Peake into the spotlight he deserves.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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