Album Notes

Andy Dimacale skillfully creates a special blend of soulful alternative acoustic inspired by pop, blues and country. Onstage or on his latest CD “If I Were Me,” he and his guitar charismatically draw you in with intelligent and precise lyrics, pleasing melodies and flowing rhythms. Andy pens songs filled with emotion and honest feelings connecting him to his listeners. With just his voice and a guitar, Andy’s songs stand out and pull audiences in.

Born in Orange, NJ and raised in Millville, NJ, Andy began playing for cover bands such as Arsenal (rock covers), the Edwina Morgan Band (country rock covers), Butch and the Steamrollers (Elvis covers) and The Agents (originals). In 1982, Andy opened for Robert Hazard at the Ripley in Philadelphia. Since the mid-90s, Andy has focused on his solo career. He skillfully performed covers, gigging throughout South Jersey.

Now Andy’s focus is on his outstanding original works. His passionate music blends his eclectic musical background and personal tastes seamlessly. Working from his home-built studio, Andy released his first original CD, “If I Were Me” in May 2007. The tunes make for a catchy, well-balanced album with professional instrumentation. Several of the songs were recently used in the independent film Revelation.

Press:
"I like that one, yea, that's a really cool song", If I Were Me
- Mark Rogers & Derek (93.7FM WSTW's Hometown Heroes)

I liked "If I Were Me" so much I bought it immediately from iTunes.
- Rob Usdin (Jersey Jamcast Podcast)

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By Jana Pochop

On If I Were Me, Andy Dimacale offers an intense and earthy style of singer/songwriter folk. He does it all, from writing his melodic folk rockers to recording them in his personal studio in South New Jersey. He began playing covers at a Jersey coffeehouse in 1995 but quickly gravitated toward writing his own material.

Four years in the making. If I Were Me makes an excellent calling card as to who Andy Dimacale is and what he has to offer the musical landscape. Dimacale has a very precise way of putting emotions into words, and he doesn't waste a lot on unneeded language. It makes for a very heartfelt record. His voice is one that evokes the singer/songwriter genre of his coffeehouse roots, but would also be at home on Top 40 radio. It's got a youthful quality to it only betrayed by the road-weariness of his words. From the title track:

And if I were me, I scream and shout
If I were me, I'd walk right out
But I'm not quite myself now, anymore ...

The title track rings out with an expressive bass drum and emotive vocal layers, but like all of the album remains grounded in the simplicity of the words and the acoustic guitar. Andy also does a great job of tackling the minor things that plague every working person's life, like fitting in time for a relationship, as he writes about in "I Choose Us."

When I cry, my lovers eyes are empty, oh the pain
It's not that she don't love me
It's just her life gets in the way
Catching planes, chasing trains, we pencil in our love ...

Dimacale does a good job of balance with his record. It's well-produced and is not simply a demo, but his instrumentation choices are tasteful and never overpower the song. One of the most heartfelt songs on the record is "Little Miss America" -- the listener can sense remorse and regret over choices made in the past and the desire to make them right now that the singer is older and wiser, but also with a resignation that sometimes things can't be undone.

When I was younger
I had the thunder
and wisdom was just for fools
now I am older a little less bolder
how can I make it up to you? ...
I'm still trying, she's not buying
my little Miss America ...

"Little Miss America" is also purely dang catchy, making it a highlight track and one of the first you should seek out if you are testing out Dimacale's sound.