Warwick native Andy Stone has a way of creating music that’s very balanced. While being rooted in vintage rock & roll, there’s elements of pop and new wave blended in with the instrumentation and arrangements. There’s nothing that’s out of the ordinary and there isn’t anything that’s going to shock the senses, but there will be a pleasant experience for anyone who dives into Stone’s music. This is true with the “Plug In” EP that came out on July 7, which consists of four songs. Even though it’s relatively short while running a little over 10 minutes in its entirety, it does possess the ability to have a lasting impact on the senses.

For the making of the record, Stone collaborated with a friend of his who is no stranger to his artistic output in a variety of facets. The main focus during the particular process was capturing certain instances within songs that often get overlooked while taking things to an upper echelon.

“I started writing the songs for ‘Plug In’ during COVID, so I had a lot of songs, but I also had a lot of time to sit with them and choose what I thought were the best four,” he says about the EP. “As for the recording, Emerson Torrey has produced my last two records and, over the past few years, we’ve played in two bands together, which are The Dick Clarks and The Andy Stone Band, so we’ve developed a close working relationship. We both really love arranging and we’re always looking for special moments in songs, which might be short keyboard passages or interwoven guitar parts or special effects. All the songs have these moments that may only happen once, but they catch the ear. Sometimes the smallest details can bring a record to another level.”

“Got No Clue” kicks the record off with an upbeat vibe while relaying an important message about how you never know what another person is dealing with during their day-to-day life. There’s a really cool music video accompanying the track as well that folks can check out by simply searching for it on Stone’s YouTube channel. Going in a different direction is “We Share Something,” which examines the positive aspects of a thriving relationship. “Turn Into We” has a similar notion while exuding a different tone with the low end having more of a presence. Closing it all out is “Love Isn’t Only,” which is fueled by a stellar dynamic between the drums, keys and guitars.

To give Stone’s new EP a listen, you can do so by looking it up on either Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music or any other streaming service of your choice. He has a habit of playing around the area either in solo fashion or with the bands that he’s a part of, so if you’re looking to see him do his thing live then follow him on Facebook at facebook.com/andystonerolls and keep your eyes peeled. Before you do so, I highly suggest that you “plug in,” press play and give his new record a listen.