Hailed by Rolling Stone for his "sharp storytelling and fist-pumping rock & roll swagger," Andrew Leahey widens his reach considerably with his upcoming fifth album, Kick / Move / Shake. It's the most eclectic and pop-friendly record of his career, heavily informed by the 1980s soundtrack of his youth. Synthesizers, glittering guitars, stacked vocal harmonies, and larger-than-life pop melodies are the album's building blocks, stacked into sparkling shape by Leahey (a three-time semi-finalist at the International Songwriting Competition) and producer Gregory Lattimer (Albert Hammond Jr., Aaron Lee Tasjan). A stylistic leap beyond the acclaimed Americana music of his previous albums, Kick / Move / Shake was written and recorded during a roller-coaster year that found Leahey losing his mother to Alzheimer's, playing to sold-out crowds on Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival Tour, and crisscrossing the country (and beyond) as frontman of Andrew Leahey & The Homestead, as well as bandleader for Elizabeth Cook.
PRESS
"His LP, Airwaves, is a celebratory mix of sharp storytelling and fist-pumping rock & roll swagger. . .For Fans of: Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Ryan Adams."
- Rolling Stone
“Over the ensuing years, the Virginia native has allowed most of his rootsy Americana layers to fall away, championing instead the great rock and pop of the 1960s and particularly the '70s as his musical foundation.”
"This is contemporary American roots-rock at its finest, championed by an ensemble that’s easily among the best of their breed."
“Andrew Leahey, the man who might just be the heir to Tom Petty.”
“He’s a kind of heartland hero, a dedicated rocker whose work brings quick comparisons to Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, the Black Crowes and others that share their inspiration with savvy, swagger, grit, and passion.”
“‘Keep the Car Running’ captures the band in full Cheap Trick mode, with Leahey, who also plays lead guitar in Elizabeth Cook’s band, slashing at his instrument and singing in an urgent tenor. It’s unrelenting rock for uncertain times.”
“Built to rattle the cheap seats and honor the FM dial of [Leahey’s] youth… Airwaves earns its rightful place in the heartland rock canon.”
“Leahey has captured rock ‘n’ roll in its purest form, a band full of buddies wailing on pawn shop instruments in a garage, those thundering chords shaking grout dust off the cinder blocks, singing about girls and dreams and good times. It’s the sound of hope — for big stages and packed arenas, but also for nights that go on forever and friendships that never shatter and drift.”
“Leahey and his band, the Homestead, command Airwaves with an atmospheric heartland style reminiscent of the likes of Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen. . .effortlessly capturing an undeniable blue-collar sound.”
“In "Airwaves"…Nashville rocker Andrew Leahey laments being part of "the last generation raised on FM" -- and specifically on album-oriented rock radio. That tells you a lot about the rest of the album, a heartfelt homage to Leahey's rock heroes such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, R.E.M. and others."
- Billboard
"Sonic allusions to Memphis rock legends Big Star and Leahey's all-time favorite, Tom Petty."
- CMT
“He’s a gifted wordsmith and melody maker, and an ace guitarist.”
- WMOT.org