Andy Shauf: 2023

Don't let the featherlight touch of his music fool you: Andy Shauf is a deep dude.

This thoughtful, gentle soul hails from the wild and windswept terrain of Saskatchewan, Canada. Images of Joni Mitchell's prairie-youth early days come to mind, but Andy played in a punk band first, and his new album, Norm, has a sinister edge.

A strange stalker character and haggling conversations with God are among the unusual storytelling devices at play in the loosely-strung concept album, and they contrast with the breezy, almost jazz-pop texture of his band and arrangements.

Our FUV Live studio session begins with the subtly catchy "Wasted On You," and the probing conversation I got to have with Andy about his own God concepts — personal, abstract and concrete — is not the usual record/tour chatter that some performers bring to the table. Andy Shauf is always deep in thought but never self absorbed, he's just a guy who is happy to wield irony, but softens the edge with the liquid texture of the clarinet. Not the usual at all!

Listen to the session in the player above and check out videos below. (Unfortunately, Andy had to cancel his July 2023 dates due to back issues.)

[Recorded: 4/19/23; Engineered by Jim O'Hara, produced by Meghan Offtermatt]