Andy Koh proves some songs are worth ‘Taking the Long Way’ around

For Dallas-based singer-songwriter Andy Koh, ‘Taking the Long Way’ is a culmination of songs that have followed him through different stages of his life. Some date back to his undergraduate years at Harvard in the late 80s, while others were revisited, rewritten or completed much later. Its history gives the record a naturally reflective quality without making it feel stuck in the past.

And the title-track captures that idea perfectly. ‘Taking the Long Way’ is upbeat, driving and full of forward motion, but its optimism comes from experience. It’s a song about continuing when the obvious route disappears, turning uncertainty into momentum and accepting that the longer path may ultimately be the only one that makes sense.

But the frontman didn’t write the title-track first and then build the record around it. He wrote it at the end, once enough time had passed for him to recognise what the collection of songs was really about. The album’s broader strength lies in that relationship with time.

Older songs have been brought forward, reworked and placed beside newer material, allowing earlier versions of his songwriting self to sit alongside the person he has become. The result is a record exploring memory and persistence, but also with the strange way unfinished ideas can wait patiently until the right moment arrives.

A strong supporting cast helps give those songs the clarity they deserve, as bassist Sean Hurley and drummer Jake Reed bring an experienced session-player foundation to the recordings, while mixing and mastering from Darrell Thorp and Michael Romanowski keeps the focus firmly on the songwriting.

For all the history behind it, ‘Taking the Long Way’ doesn’t feel nostalgic. After carrying some of these songs for decades, Andy Koh finally lets them arrive, and they certainly make a convincing case that taking longer doesn’t necessarily mean arriving late.