A beautifully curated reminder of just how many great songs Andrew Gold gave us
Some box sets are aimed squarely at the devoted fan who already knows every B-side, every session track, and every alternate take. Others work on two levels: they satisfy the collector, but they also serve as the perfect doorway for anyone discovering the artist for the first time. That is exactly where Lonely Boy: The Asylum Years Anthology by Andrew Gold sits for me.
This 6CD/DVD set is fab.
It is one of those releases that reminds you how easy it is to take a songwriter like Andrew Gold for granted. You may think you know one or two songs — perhaps Lonely Boy above all — but once you start exploring this set properly, especially the DVD, you realise just how much of his music has been part of the soundtrack to your life.
First of all, this is a beautifully assembled box set. You get seven discs in total, packed with material from Andrew Gold’s Asylum years, along with a substantial booklet that really adds depth and context to the listening experience.
The booklet is a big part of why this set feels so complete. It does not just give you a track listing and a few photos. It takes you through Andrew Gold’s story, his musical background, his family, and the key people who helped shape his career. For me, Linda Ronstadt’s role in that story feels especially important. She was instrumental in giving Andrew Gold the kind of break that allowed his songwriting, musicianship and arranging talents to reach a far wider audience.
You also get album-by-album detail, lyrics, photographs, and the sort of historical background that makes a box set feel like a proper document rather than just a repackaging exercise.
If you are a fan, this is the sort of thing you want to sit with. If you are new to Andrew Gold, it gives you a strong sense of who he was and why his work still matters.
Start with the DVD
One of the things I would say straight away is this: if you are new to Andrew Gold, start with the DVD.
That may sound unusual when dealing with a CD box set, but in this case it makes perfect sense. The visual side of the set brings everything into focus incredibly quickly. The promotional videos, the live footage, the Old Grey Whistle Test material — it all helps underline what a complete artist Andrew Gold was.
And it was while watching the DVD that it really hit me just how many Andrew Gold songs I actually knew.
Of course, I knew Lonely Boy. I remember that song so well, and I can still connect it with a particular time in life — hearing it on a pub jukebox when I was about 17 and loving the guitar playing as much as the song itself. But as the DVD went on, it became one of those wonderful moments where you keep recognising track after track.
Go Back Home Again.
Thank You for Being a Friend.
Never Let Her Slip Away.
How Can This Be Love.
Kiss This One Goodbye.
That is part of the magic of this set. It reminds you that Andrew Gold was not just the man behind one famous hit. He was a remarkably consistent writer of beautifully crafted songs.
The albums still shine
The set includes the core studio albums from this period, including What’s Wrong with This Picture?, which is probably still my personal favourite.
That album contains Lonely Boy, and for many people that may well be the gateway in. It is certainly the Andrew Gold album I know best. I remember the cover, I remember the song, and there is a familiarity to it that runs deep. But hearing it again in the wider context of this anthology reminds you that it is part of a much broader body of work.
The other albums all have their own character and their own rewards too. There is a lot to explore here, and that is what makes this box so satisfying. It is not just about revisiting the obvious songs. It is about hearing the range in Andrew Gold’s work and appreciating the quality of the songwriting across the whole span of these recordings.
There is also an outtakes disc, which adds another layer for those who want to go further, and live recordings that help bring the material to life in a different way.
More than “yacht rock”
Watching the live footage, and hearing the broader sweep of this music again, I found myself thinking about how these songs are often filed under the banner of “yacht rock” these days.
I understand why people use that label, but for me it does not quite tell the whole story. To my ears, this is simply great songwriting, performed by wonderful musicians, with a warmth and melodic sophistication that places it alongside artists like the Eagles or the later Doobie Brothers.
It is polished, yes. It is accessible, certainly. But it is also full of craft, heart, and musicianship.
And perhaps that is why the music still feels so uplifting.
There is something about Andrew Gold’s songs that makes you feel better just by spending time with them. The arrangements are elegant, the hooks are natural rather than forced, and there is a genuine sense of joy in the music.
Excellent live material too
The live content is another real strength.
The Old Grey Whistle Test performance from London’s New Victoria Theatre in 1977 is a lovely addition, and there is also a 1978 broadcast with interview material included. On top of that, you get a Los Angeles concert that sounds absolutely fantastic.
For anyone who only knows the radio hits, the live material helps complete the picture.
ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE ANDREW GOLD BOX SET HERE
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
