Andrew Reed & The Liberation – ‘Twisted World’

There’s no doubt that the global health crisis has been terrifying for all of us, regardless of where we live in the world. Many musical artists however have taken the opportunity to look within themselves, and engage in self-examination, stripping back the trappings of modern life that really get in the way of true expression. While some have lost themselves in gorgeous dreams, and still more have built amazing castles out of shattered projects, and reimagined themselves, Andrew Reed’s radical transformation actually started a year before the pandemic began.

The rock guitarist and songwriter separated himself from social media in order to focus on the fundamentals of music, resulting in a new sound suggestive of a deep and profound personal transformation. Reed found Liberation.

But while the resulting new album was deep, it’s also very fun, with rock music being played for the pure thrill and enjoyment. Andrew Reed realised that once commercial considerations had been cast aside, he was now free, and his sound was re-energised, and suddenly he felt awake once more.

Playing everything except the drums, Andrew Reed’s new single,  ‘Twisted World’ is intoxicating and adventurous – a missive from a musical explorer who turned inward and found himself.

‘Twisted World’ serves as the perfect example of the musical chemistry between Andrew Reed and his band The Liberation. Evoking both the party-hungry sound of 80s rock radio and the meditative vibe of alt music from the following decade, Reed sings with the combination of joy, urgency, and nuance that he brings to all his projects. The artist has long been known as an exciting stage performer, and with ‘Twisted World’ he takes that energy and shares it with all his listeners.

The song’s colourful, kinetic music video sees Reed and his charismatic bandmates in action, slamming the skins and soloing on their six-strings with an enthusiasm that’s impossible to fake. The ‘Twisted World’ clip also channels the turbulence of the times. The track is Reed’s first major-label distributed release with InGrooves/UMG, and was born out of the pain and suffering from coming home to his apartment after working a double shift as waiter, only to find his belongings and himself locked out. The song is about the everyday frustrations and anxiety of the modern world, and this is reflected in the video, which shows footage of the band superimposed over shots of crowds and protests, unrest, and celebration. Even the concert shots are deliberately distressed and distorted to better illustrate the destabilisation that Andrew Reed wants to share.

Watch the video for ‘Twisted World’ below and follow Andrew Reed & The Liberation online on Andrew’s official website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

andrew reed & the liberation - Twisted World (Official Music Video)

About the author

Lisa has been writing for over 20 years, starting as the entertainment editor on her university newspaper. Since then she's written for Popwrapped, Maximum Pop, Celebmix, and ListenOnRepeat.

Lisa loves all good music, with particular fondness for Jedward and David Bowie. She's interviewed Edward Grimes (Jedward), Kevin Godley, Trevor Horn, Paul Young, Peter Cox (Go West), Brendan B Brown (Wheatus), Bruce Foxton (The Jam), among many many more. Lisa is also available for freelance writing - please email lisa@essentiallypop.com