's Neverland EP dropped in late-October 2020, in the depth of the pandemic, leaving him unable to tour, or even talk because of surgery to fix a long-standing vocal issue. BUT, now the Sudbury, Ontario country artist is back on the microphone and has released a trio of reimagined songs from the EP in The Wanderspace Sessions.
Neverland, I Needed That, and Didn't Know Me count as three of the most popular tracks on the EP release, so it makes sense that Hyatt would pick them for this project. And, it helps that they all translate well to a more stripped-down sound and production.
One of the things we've always admired about Andrew Hyatt as a live performer is his ability to get as loud and active and sweaty as he can - or to slow things all the way to a storyteller, songwriters' circle pace depending on what the situation calls for. He's never seemed out of place in either setting, so we can watch these videos and appreciate the calmer Hyatt while also thinking back to sweat-drenched black t-shirts in packed rooms and looking forward to more of that in the future.
Andrew Hyatt, Neverland EP Review
Strictly speaking, these aren't acoustic sessions because there is an electric guitar in there, doing some of the lifting and bringing these songs to life. BUT, like we said before, we've seen Hyatt and the band at full volume in the past, and this isn't anywhere near that - so it might be plugged in, but it's still decidedly stripped-down!
We asked Andrew about The Wanderspace Sessions and what made him want to put these performances together and he said, "I really wanted to release versions of these songs that were stripped down and live. The goal was to give people something as close as possible to being at a show."
That works for us. And we're happy to have these videos to help bridge what's left of the gap between now and live shows again.
Check out the songs from The Wanderspace Sessions, in the order they were released (February 17, 18, 19, 2021) and enjoy!
Andrew Hyatt - Neverland (The Wanderspace Sessions)
Andrew Hyatt - I Needed That (The Wanderspace Sessions)
Andrew Hyatt - Didn't Know Me (The Wanderspace Sessions)
As a note, we'd like to give a shoutout to the band for getting in there with Andrew Hyatt to create these videos - and for wearing their masks while they got the job done, staying safe and setting a good example. Atta be boys!
And here's another note, Andrew Hyatt hasn't just been working on his music, the Nickel City Kid also has his hand in the clothing and accessory game, and you can check out some pretty wild and good lookin' creations at copperdemon.com.
We know that nothing replaces the sound, the feeling, the emotion, the connection of live music, but something like this, with an effort and offering from the artist, is about as good as we've got right now.
Stay tuned for more from Andrew Hyatt, who knows what he's got coming next?!
Andrew Hyatt, The Wanderspace Sessions Tracklist