His curly blond hair and thick-rimmed glasses brings home the first part of the musical equation, but perhaps leaves one a little unprepared for the raw, soulful power unleashed when Stone opens his mouth to sing.
Like many soul singers, Stone got his start in church. He was a preacher’s kid, so whipping crowds into a call-and-response frenzy as he performs “Say So” is second nature. Steeped in gospel music and shielded from secular songs, Allen didn’t discover soul music until he was a teenager and started collecting classic albums from the 60’s and 70’s.
“Soul music from that time wasn’t just about bumpin’ and grindin’ at the club – it was a huge part of a cultural movement. That’s where my inspiration comes from,” says Stone, who was also schooled by folk records of the period.
On his new album, Stone shines a light into some of the darker corners of his own era. “Contact High” is a striking commentary on the toll technology has taken on relationships and the sensuous sounding “Unaware” is a sly examination of the current economic crisis. This is the kind of stuff that keeps Stone up at night and keeps him on the road, as he sings in the single “Sleep”: “Spend my night shootin’ at the stars/Trying to change the world with this guitar/I know it’s a long shot/But it’s working out so far…”
Allen Stone the self titled album is out today through Universal Music Australia. To purchase the album go to: www.getmusic.com.au/allenstone
You can catch his is soulful voice in Australia for the first time appearing at at Bluesfest two very intimate sideshows on the following dates:
Bluesfest 2013 – Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay
Thursday March 28th – Monday April 1st, 2013
Thursday 28 March – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Tickets available via www.northcotesocialclub.com or 1300 724 867
Saturday 30 March – Blue Beat Live, Sydney
Tickets available via www.bluebeat.com.au or (02) 9328 4411
