As a general rule, my wife and 12-year-old daughter dislike the music I listen to. There is still hope for my 9-year-old son whose taste flip-flops between the alt and indie rock that I listen to and the Top 40 (can I say crap?) crap my wife and daughter subject themselves to. So tonight as I was doing some chores (btw, adulting sucks) I was listening to ASHRR when the ladies of my life came into the room. My daughter started dancing and my wife said, and I quote, “This isn’t too bad.” I paused, thinking this could mean only one of two things: 1. My wife and daughter’s music preferences have finally improved and I’ve found something we can all listen to in the car; or 2. My taste in music has gone to hell and I should just cancel my Spotify membership now.
I’m going with option 1.
ASHRR is a musical collective from LA made up of singer-songwriter Steven Davis, and Artists/Producers Ethan Allen and Josh Charles. Their post-modern creativity combines analog synths, jet-setter bass lines, neo-funk guitar riffs and Bryan Ferry-esque vocals into a post rock dystopian dance party.
The heavy use of synthesizers and bass lines is reminiscent of some of my favorite music from the early to mid-eighties when I first thought of music as futuristic. The first track on the self-titled EP, “Paper Glass” starts off sounding like something from Depeche Mode’s Construction Time Again with catchy synths and smooth vocals.
“Don’t Wait Too Long,” the song my wife described as “This isn’t too bad,” sounds like a cross between David Bowie and Modern English. The layered vocals transcends time, giving the song a definite 80’s vibe that can make it popular with today’s music fans.
The first single, “Sometimes,” sounds like a mix between Bryan Ferry, Tom Jones and early Nine Inch Nails. The beat is danceable and would not be out of place in the clubs that I frequented back in the day. The lyrics have a strong David Bryne and Talking Heads feel to them.
The EP closes out with “Here,” a beautiful dreamy-sounding ballad that could be a lullaby in a baby’s nursery.
Keep an eye and ear out for a full-length album dropping in 2019.
TAGS: ASHRR
Email: elliott.spinningthoughts@outlook.com
Twitter: @Elliott33RPM
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