Bass Legend Andrew Gouché Releases “We Don’t Need No Bass”

The long-awaited solo release from Andrew Gouché, our January 2013 cover interview, enjoys a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor with the title, “We Don’t Need No Bass”.

This is the recording of bass that Gouche fans have absolutely needed and wanted for years.

The album does not disappoint either those waiting fans or first time listeners of Andrew. The recording is rich with Gouché-led melodies; song hooks are often played solo or doubled with another instrument. On “Jump Start”, this doubling technique is performed with a massive slap tone that leads directly to a fantastic solo bursts. The bass also takes the lead on a powerful version of “Eleanor Rigby”, the Beatles classic.

In addition to his slap showcases, Gouché provides exceptional tracks played fingerstyle, such as the lyrical “Sundays”. On “Way Back When”, Andrew moves away from the direct melody, opting for laying down a deep, pocketed groove that clearly pulls from his long history of playing gospel music.

Gospel is an integral part of this album, as it is part of Gouché’s essence. The beautiful “Secret Place” features a round, liquid bass tone along side the emotion-filled vocals of gospel icon Fred Hammond. On the track “No Ways Tired” the bass-led instrumental morphs to include rich vocals for the triumphant last chorus. There’s a sense of completeness in this song when one hears Gouché run a propulsive low bass line while another track joyfully solos behind the vocal refrain, “I don’t believe He brought me this far”.

“I created this project because, after years of supporting many wonderful artists on stage as well as on recordings, I realized that I have my own voice,” states Gouché. “God has given me the gift of music, and allowed me to create music that I believe will be a blessing to people all over the world.”

The “We Don’t Need No Bass” title refers to the early thoughts that bass parts should be covered by organ in church. Music history has shown how Gouché overcame that standard, bringing bass front and center in gospel. With “We Don’t Need No Bass”, the album, Andrew has made a statement not only of that triumph, but also of all things bass. We definitely do need this bass!

“We Don’t Need No Bass” is available worldwide through iTunes