Andrew Schneider – Pleasant Thoughts (2025)
Inspired by artists like David Bowie who refused to be entirely defined, singer-songwriter Andrew Schneider brims with genre-diversity, innovation, and originality. We first came across Schneider in 2023 with his pop-inspired single ‘Hideaway’, and he continued to blink on our radar, even if not review-wise. Today, we take a gander at his most recent release, ‘Pleasant Thoughts’.
Following the well-received single ‘Femme Fatale’, ‘Pleasant Thoughts’ is a drag back to the 90s, celebrating old-school indie-rock with a spattering of pop-rock and alternative rock. Well, you can’t expect him to be completely definable, can you? Produced and recorded by Schneider with Dylan Walker (mixing) and Doug McBride (mastering), ‘Pleasant Thoughts’ exudes sophistication and elegance. Interestingly, as much as the song showcases the maturity of its production, slips of vulnerability eke into the melody. This might be a deliberate left-over of the original home-recorded demo in 2012, cleverly arranged to keep the theme of fragility, melancholy and vulnerability alive.
Joined by session musicians Chris McQueen (guitar) and Chuck Sabo (drums), the 2025 ‘Pleasant Thoughts’ is a kaleidoscopic fusion of soaring guitars, powerful drums, shimmering keys, and Schneider’s rich vocals. For me, the single may be harmonic, but there is instrumental individuality in ‘Pleasant Thoughts’. The keys stand out as guitars slide alongside them, each grabbing your attention. Interestingly, the drums are notable but still seem to hold everything together with a steady beat. A shout-out must be given to the inspiring guitar solo ending the single with such magnificence.
Penned in 2007, when Schneider was still in high school – hell, that makes me feel old – ‘Pleasant Thoughts’ has been on the shelf for some time. So, when Schneider decided to revisit one of his older originals, ‘Pleasant Thoughts’ was it. Cleverly aligning the moving music to a timeless theme, the single is a true, full, rich-bodied expression of human poignancy and fragility, a musical exploration of how “loss and jealousy breed paralysis and bitterness…”
Find out more about Andrew Schneider on his Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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