Geology major digs into folk-rock

By JOHN T. McCANN (The Herald-Sun/Friday, December 11, 1998)

Andy Kuncl is putting his geology degree to work in the study of rock--digging and exploring a style of music he calls "folk-inflected acoustic rock". That's a term that just sort of works for the Chapel Hill singer-songwriter. He's a little impromptu, like his debut release, "Too Quickly," recorded live at Overdub Lane Studios in Durham.

The Spontaneity on Kuncl's CD is fitting since he didn't pick up a guitar until his sophomore year in college. It was then, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he immersed himself in his music, teaching himself to sing and play.

Kuncl will be one of the featured artists Saturday at Skylight Exchange in Chapel Hill. The North Carolina Songwriters Co-op is sponsoring the concert. The Co-op is a nonprofit organization that supports and promotes local and regional songwriters. Saturday's show is the third of a series of monthly concert showcases and songwriter workshops. Expect an energetic stage show from Kuncl.

"Performance is truly what I live for and sharing what experiences I've gone through on stage," said Kuncl, who is just as revealing on his new release. The title cut, "Too Quickly," is about the sudden death of his grandmother. Yet on "She Don't Want It," you'll find the 22-year-old describing his misfortune of falling in love with women who love other women.

"He seems to be a talented, young singer-songwriter that has a little bit of an edge to his music," said Keith Weston, host of "Back Porch Music" on WUNC. Kuncl's music can be heard on the Saturday and Sunday evening shows. "[His music] is very youthful and very good, too," adds Weston.

As for national prominence, Kuncl's biggest stage probably was the Busch Gardens theme park in Williamsburg, Va., where he worked one summer. Right now, he's pretty much doing the coffee house circuit, which has taken him to Wyoming, Colorado, Vermont, and Washington. At Eddie's Attic, a pretty happening venue for folk music in Decatur, Ga., Kuncl was a finalist at one of the open-mike nights.

Although his roots are in Chapel Hill, Kuncl said he's not the James Taylor-type who tells Tar Heel tales. Kuncl draws inspiration from Patty Larkin, John Gorka, Peter Mulvey, Martin Sexton. He especially likes guitarist-folk singer Ani DiFranco for the "honesty in her lyrics, and the way she plays the guitar is very percussive".

That style of guitar playing is stamped on Kuncl's CD, particularly in "She Don't Want It" and "Trapped". Percussive guitar playing is more beating and pulling on the strings vs. strumming. Kuncl's sound, however, is very clean--just a guy and his acoustic guitar. He has that quivery, breathy vocal style that comes out when he sings about relationships. Kuncl poses real questions about life without falling over himself and sobbing.

Initially, Kuncl's family wasn't too keen on his musical pursuits. After all, that's not why they sent him to school. But "once they came out to see how passionate I was about doing it, they became more supportive," Kuncl said.

Kuncl always could sing, said his older brother Tom, a salesman in New Jersey. Tom, said it's neat to see him use his own money to do what's in his heart.

"I wish all of us would follow our passions like that," said Tom, who in college scraped up some money to create and sell UNC T-shirts. He said Andy has the same entrepreneurial knack. "Sales is it for me. Singing is it for him".

The younger Kuncl also has started his own record label. While recording his album last year on Dec. 30 and 31, one of his guitar strings broke. He replaced the string, only for it to snap again . . . and again, and again . . . well, about six times. That's why he named the record label missing string music.

Impromptu.

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