Albany Down – Born In The Ashes
Albany Down – Born In The Ashes
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital
Label: Independent
Release: 2023
Release date: September 1, 2023
UK blues rock band, Albany Down, are pleased to announce the release of their new album ‘Born In The Ashes’
Albany Down originally came together with some classic rock and British blues-rock influences, but with their 2011 debut album, “South of the City,” they found their own sound.
Albany Down comprises founder member Paul Turley on vocals and guitars, drummer and backing vocalist, Pete Hancock, and bassist and backing vocalist Ben Atkins. The band has recorded four studio albums with producer Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers, INME, Super Furry Animals).
Blues Rock Review offered a fair assessment of the band and their debut album: “South of the City” is a solid debut album from Albany Down. It will be interesting to see how they develop in the coming years.”
In 2013 the band stepped up to the plate with 12 original well-crafted songs on their formidable second album “Not Over Yet”, including the 2013 ISC award winning “Best Blues Song” – “You Ain’t Coming Home.” Traditionally a band’s second album is regarded as being problematical but Albany Down turned that notion on its head, taking all that was good in “South of the City,” honing their song writing craft and revelling in Greg Haver’s powerful production.
With the release of their third album “The Outer Reach” in 2016, Albany Down won many new fans touring in the UK and The Netherlands. They were voted winners of the 2016 UK Song Writing Competition for Best Rock Song (“Feeding the Flame”) and Best Music Video, and voted #5 Best Album of 2016 by Blues Rock Review.
It was no surprise therefore that in 2020 they once again turned to Greg to produce their new opus “Born In The Ashes” which like previous albums has a strong “overcoming adversity” theme, inspired by those darkest days during the 2020/22 global pandemic followed by War in Ukraine, political, civil, and economic unrest. The new album was recorded at Rockfield Studios with Greg bringing together the same recording and production team as he used on all previous Albany Down albums.
“We all came to the band with different but related musical influences” says Paul Turley. “I wanted to build on those and write and play music that was all our own and contemporary. We enjoyed working with Greg and his team and he has undoubtedly enabled us to expand both our musical horizons and our self confidence in trying out new things.”
To coincide with the release of the new album release, the band have also made a music video, recorded at The Musician in Leicester. The video features the new single and album opening track, “Always Want What You Can’t Have.”
“Always Want What You Can’t Have is one of the first songs I wrote for the new album,” says Paul. It was also the first song we recorded at Rockfield. The lyrics of the songs are both potent and relevant to those who are never satisfied with what they have in life.”
With over 12,000 fans on Facebook, fans of Albany Down agree that their live show never disappoints. The band run on pure adrenalin, unrelenting energy and raw emotion and soon have any crowd entranced. The music is based on Paul’s thunderous guitar riffs, Pete and Ben’s pounding bass and drums juxtaposed with soulful, soaring, emotionally charged ballads.
Website: https://www.albanydown.com/
Tracks:
01. Always Want What You Can’t Have
02. Good News
03. Same Damn Thing
04. The Memory of What Used To Be
05. Reflections
06. Born In The Ashes
07. Darkest Day
08. Kingdom of the Blind
09. Don’t Look Back
10. I’ll Come Running
11. Your Days Are Numbered
12. This Heavy Soul
13. Let Your Love Shine
Paul Turley: Lead and backing vocals, guitars
Ben Atkins: Bass guitar, backing vocals
Pete Hancock: Drums, backing vocals
Produced by Greg Haver
Engineered by Clint Murphy
Assistant Engineer: Tarrant Shepherd
Backing vocals: Cat Wyn Southall
Keys: Nick Nasmyth
Strings: Andrew Walters – The Vulcan Strings
Brass: Uppercut Horns
French Horn Matt Jewell (Darkest Day)
Bedford Friends Choir (This Heavy Soul)
Mastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound USA
