Andy Rosen received his first major label deal in the late ‘90s as a one-man band called Goat, whose sample-heavy sound offered a mildly sunnier, dancier take on the Soul Coughing aesthetic. Although his 1998 Epic release, Great Life, disappeared with a whimper, the title track resurfaced a couple of years ago in a Kia commercial – and now Rosen himself has popped up again, this time as jazz guitarist/singer Andy Scott. It’s certainly one of the odder musical makeovers in recent memory, but his new incarnation’s debut, Don’t Tempt Fate, doesn’t suck; it’s actually an enjoyably understated collection of minimally arranged originals, performed with understated grace. If you remember “Great Life,” you know Scott isn’t anyone’s idea of a great singer, but he does a fine job of playing to his strengths here, recalling the charmingly weathered vocals of latter-day Bob Dorough, and the whole thing has a nice coffee-shop vibe, good for late nights and Sunday brunches. It’s obviously a passion project, with minimal financial backing, but it’s well worth seeking out for fans of low-key vocal jazz combos – and fans of Scott’s friend Madeleine Peyroux, who pops up here on guitar and ukulele, and delivers a typically sultry vocal cameo on the title track. (self-released 2009)
