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Alan Charing Releases “Stitch” (Lazybone Records), His First Record In Five Years.
Featuring Members Of Richmond Fontaine And Laura Gibson’s Band, July 30Th At Ash Street Saloon
Portland, Oregon-based musician Alan Charing is celebrating the release of his first full-length in five years, "Stitch", which follows up A.C. Cotton's "Notes for the Conversation" (Ahab Was Right), on July 30th at Ash Street Saloon.
Doors are at 8pm, show starts at 9:30pm. Cover is $5.00. Also on the bill are The DyDrive and UHF.
Marking his return to performing under his own name, the first time since 1999's "Seconds West," on Lazybones Records, "Stitch" is Charing's first album since A.C. Cotton's 2004 release, "Notes for the Conversation."
The result is an eleven-track collection of rock 'n' roll that owes as much to Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello as it does the Rolling Stones. Charing continues his relationship with Mike Coykendall (M. Ward, Beth Orton, Richmond Fontaine), who mixed the record, and calls "Stitch" a "typical Portland family affair," featuring members of Richmond Fontaine, UHF, the Winebirds, and Laura Gibson's band. As well as a slew of other Northwest musicians to help Charing fill out the collection of roots-tinged, pop-coated Southern rock songs that would make Tom Petty sit back, smoke some weed, and smile.
"This album is about coming full circle, closing up any old wounds, and completing any unfinished business." Charing says, when asked about the overall theme for the album." Any pain you've dealt with is done, any life you knew before is over. You've dealt with the issues and emotions. And its these songs and words that stitch it up all nice and neat. Then, you forget it and move forward."
Moving forward is exactly what Charing is doing with "Stitch."
After the dissolution of the hard-charging A.C. Cotton, following several years, two albums and countless West Coast tours, Charing retreated. Music took a backseat, as he worked on other projects before taking the next step and making another record.
"When A.C. Cotton broke up, I definitely went through a time of frustration and not sure if I even wanted to be in another band. So I didn't. I pretty much just stayed away, secluded from any scene. I had nobody to bounce ideas off of or create with."
This impeded his songwriting, or so he thought. Until he began writing again and found the lack of any outside input freeing.
"I thought I could just walk away, but these songs kept growing on me. I used to be so concerned with what my bandmates thought about songs I would write, but as soon as I realized I needed to satisfy myself, that the only thing that mattered was whether I liked the record and wanted to listen to it, I was able to go in and record." So, he returned, not as A.C. Cotton, but as Alan Charing, and began working on what would become "Stitch."
With friends in tow, and a batch of songs, Charing made the record he wanted to make. One that could rock out, be thoughtful, be loud, and that was overall melodic and fun. "Essentially this ties up the story of the man who 'changed his name to Cotton and moved down to the South,' (referring to the opening lines of A.C. Cotton's 2001 debut, "Half Way Down.")
