Pittsburgh In Tune Gives 'Panorama Motel' 4 Out of Five Stars...

‘Panorama Motel’
Andy Hackbarth (self-released)
4 stars out of 5

All of us have gone through breakups. A relationship, marriage, what have you that you’re sure will last forever comes to an end, more often than not leaving you a quivering mess. Singer/songwriter Andy Hackbarth went through a similar breakup recently but instead of wallowing in his misery, he poured his heartache into his music.

The result is the fantastic “Panorama Motel” EP. It’s a seven-track gathering of classical-tinged folk tunes that get better with every listen. Lid-lifter “Mountains” sets the tone for the 24-minute release and is the best of a very good bunch.

“It’s reflective of my music career as a whole,” Hackbarth says of the song. “From the classical/Spanish guitar background to the darker, more indie/acoustic rock writing style that I’ve been gravitating toward lately. It’s beautiful, but dark and emotional … its aim is to capture the despair and loneliness we all feel after a breakup.”

Additional standouts include “Isn’t That Enough,” “Steal You Away,” the title track and haunting closer “Oceans.” “Panorama Motel” is a win-win situation — we get thoroughly entertained while Andy Hackbarth exorcises his relationship demons. (Jeffrey Sisk)

https://pghintune.wordpress.com/2015/10/14/andy-hackbarth-turns-pain-into-terrific-panorama-motel-album/