AltWeeklies Wire » Music » Profiles & Interviews

Rainy Day Sunshine

By Ballard Lesemann
Charleston City Paper | October 3, 2006
Florida-based singer/songwriter Ashton Allen made a splash last fall with the release of a wistful collection of indie-pop anthems, earthy acoustic love songs, and melodic “modern soft-rock” tunes — the kind of splash smattered with positive critical praise and endless comparisons to Nike Drake, Elliott Smith, Simon & Garfunkel, and numerous other acoustic folkie hipsters.

The Jacksonville native released the 14-song Dewdrops on the Livewire label and has practically been on the road ever since, promoting the disc and the first radio single, “Pretty Pink Rose.”

“I recorded the original tracks in Atlanta,” he says. “I first just tracked it solo with guitars. Then I went in with the drummer, Shannon Forrest, and started putting everything else on top. We kind of painted each song, really, and added layers gradually when necessary.”

Allen toured earlier this year, doing mostly bookstore cafés and small clubs. These days, he’s backed by a solid, full-size band — drummer Micah Berry (a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Virginia), Atlanta-based lead guitarist Bret Hartley (known for his songwriting work with Sugarland), and bassist Devin Moore (also of Gainesville, Fla. band Bloom).

“It’s four guys from four different backgrounds who all love music,” says Allen. “Micah is a great songwriter in his own right. Bret can do anything on the guitar. Devin is a classically-trained evil genius and a great songwriter, too. I hand-picked them all. They never met each other before we started rehearsing in Orlando this month. We’re going full out with doing the songs from the album just right. We have string and horns tracks playing on stage and all the arrangements just right. It’s a tight band and we’re ready for these gigs.”
Tags: Ashton Allen, Aston Allen, Dewdrops

Charleston City Paper

Founded in 1997, the locally owned and operated City Paper is Charleston's only weekly alternative newspaper and the second-largest publication in the metro Charleston area. Reaching a strong mix of active, affluent locals and tourists, the City Paper has thrived...
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