(ET) Long Island's Andrew Weiss and Friends share a new video today for 'Billy.' The song is from their new album the world's smallest violin. that is out on October 18. The new set once again showcases their unique blend of Laurel Canyon folk rock blended with the sonic flourishes of late-seventies power pop.
Frontman Andrew Weiss talks about the track: "Billy was written about the loss of a friendship. The connection is lost, and you want to restore it, but you realize after countless efforts, there is nothing you can do because whatever is needed to fix this has to come from them." He adds: "For the video, we returned to the place we recorded the song: the basement. I wanted people to have the experience of being in that room, surrounded by all that energy. What is shown in the video is not far off at all from what it looked like when we recorded the song a few years ago."
The band's moniker honors music's essential pairing with camaraderie (something we could all use more of these days). Shindig! Magazine observed, "It's clear that Weiss doesn't do anything by halves. Big, clever tunes. There's poetic tilted Americana, booming pop and anthemic road rock. Sometimes it tilts towards the psychedelic. It's all rather impressive." There was certainly camaraderie on the world's smallest violin with an impressive array of friends stopping in to lend a musical hand. Pete Donnelly (The Figgs, Candy Butchers, NRBQ) co-produced, engineered, and mixed the album as well as and played on it, handling bass duties on ten of the songs. Scott Hirsch (Hiss Golden Messenger) produced, co-wrote, engineered, mixed, and played bass and guitar on four songs and Matt Beck (Matchbox Twenty) played guitar on ten songs.
Long Island's Andrew Weiss and Friends have made a name for themselves since their debut LP arrived in 2018 with their unique blend of Laurel Canyon folk rock and the sonic flourishes of late-seventies power pop. Singer-songwriter Andrew Weiss clings to and cherishes moments of intimacy, difficult conversations, and emotional currency through his songwriting. A classic glow silhouettes Weiss's storytelling, fusing a smart, throwback warmth and charm right into the work. Weiss' songs show off his chops for character-driven stories, with an attention to detail on par with celebrated works from the likes of Dawes or Tom Petty.
Self-taught on the many instruments he knows how to play, Weiss's journey sprouted from early exposure to The Beatles, which recently came full circle after a spontaneous run-in and twenty minute conversation with Paul McCartney. He began picking guitar and writing songs at only seven years old, and he would later play in various bands throughout his youth. In 2009, he formed a solo endeavor called High Fascination and wrote, recorded and mixed three pop/rock-leaning albums alone in his bedroom.
During his time at NYU, where he studied Music Theory & Composition, Weiss wrote music for films and various ensembles. His High Fascination work also continued there, and he eventually discovered a group of musicians to join him. Four more albums were released during Weiss's time in college, before the musical style soon shifted to a more Americana-driven approach, or "Power Pop-icana" as Weiss likes to call it. High Fascination ultimately folded to make way for a new project, as a brand new circle of friends and musicians emerged - Andrew Weiss and Friends was born.
The band has stayed busy since The Honeymoon Suite was released in 2018 with four more LPs, three EPs, and a handful of standalone singles. They have sold out multiple shows at famed Long Island venue My Father's Place and have performed alongside Counting Crows and Rob Thomas at The Outlaw Roadshow Festival. In recent years, Andrew Weiss and Friends were highlights at the 2024 Great South Bay Music Festival, the 2021 Mondo Festival, the 2022 Underwater Sunshine Festival, and in 2023 and 2024 they headlined the MLB Washington Nationals' Grateful Dead Night to a sold out crowds of thousands.
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