Andrew W.K. Makes An Album More About God Than Partying But Still Rocks Really Hard
Andrew W.K. Makes An Album More About God Than Partying But Still Rocks Really Hard
4.5 out of 5 stars
Andrew W.K. (real name Andrew Wilkes-Krier) has been an absolute rock legend and party god for about 20 full years now, and whether you listen to his music or not, there is no denying he has a ton of energy and positivity that leads you to like the guy if you have ever heard him speak.
His new album, God Is Partying, is a lot less about partying and a lot more about mortality, religion and other heavier concepts that Wilkes-Krier has been known for in the past.
Of course, if you are a real fan, you will know that he does get a bit deep on his albums with what he brings up, but usually there is a positive spin on the song, or the song is just an absolute reflection of the way the world is.
I think that’s where this album steps in as well.
Instead of writing uplifting or inspirational music this time around, A.W.K. decides to take the world head on with an all out Ronnie James Dio-inspired hard rock blitz for 9 songs.
The album overall is a bit too into the classic hard rock sound for my liking, but there are a few songs on this album that are some of Wilkes-Krier’s best songs.
Another thing to note is that Andrew W.K. played all the instruments on the album (as he has been known to do in the past). So, when you hear great drums or synths or shredding guitar, you know that’s all him.
The first song on the album “Everybody Sins” is a 6-minute rager that makes you want to head bang the whole damn time, and the chorus will 100% get stuck in your head for days. It’s still in my head right now.
“My Tower” is definitely a great song. This is probably my favorite song that Andrew W.K. has put out since his first album I Get Wet.
It’s operatic and incredibly personal to Andrew W.K. He recently divorced his wife and this song and the last song on the album seem to be VERY specific to that big step in his life.
It’s a heartbreaking song knowing how positive he usually is. This one just seems cathartic and therapeutic. A closure he may still not have in his life, but this is part of the healing process.
The last song on the official release is “And Then We Blew Apart” which is basically the sequel to “My Tower” and seems to put a lid on the divorce.
Now, that aside, songs like “Babylon,” “No One to Know,” “I’m In Heaven” and of course “Everybody Sins” bring up a lot of references to God. Not to say that this is a religious album. I actually believe the songs are likely references to the divorce and the sanctity of marriage as a religious construct.
"I'm In Heaven" is likely written about his new love, Kat Dennings.
The 2 bonus tracks “I Made It” and “Not Anymore” are actually the most quintessentially AWK songs on the album.
I would say they might be the highlight of the album, but they do seem to have a drastic shift in dynamics.
If it wasn’t for these 2 bonus tracks, I may actually rate this album below a 4-star album, and that would absolutely pain me to do so.
So, I definitely recommend checking out those two songs if you do nothing else.