Al Park Releases First Album in Over 20 Years ‘Pony’
Pony, Al Park’s long-awaited follow-up to 1999’s Human Thing is finally here. And boy has he been some places in the meantime. Mostly inside his own head, exploring past loves and excitedly lurching towards future endeavours.
You’ve heard California, the sunny centre of the musical umbrella that Pony is spread across, you’ve heard Running Away From A Broken Heart – the country ballad that reaches across to the far side of the umbrella, While the first track, Friend of Mine, takes you on a soaring journey on a warm bed of guitar feedback to the other side.
You’ll find everything else in between across the album’s other 7 tracks, and it all manages to cruise Al’s long, rich history of songwriting while at the same time, cohesively
”It has a retro sound that covers my history in music-Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, Steve Earle, Bob Dylan -they’re all lurking in the grooves of this album. If you grew up in the late 20th century then this is for you. If you’re a 21st-century citizen then let me take you back in time”
It has been said that Al Park was the first guy to bring punk music to Otautahi….. man, if that all wasn’t enough, some tunes on Pony sound more like an indie-rock stomper from Dunedin circa -’84.
Waves of warm guitar feedback, rich Beach Boys-eque walls of harmonies, country fiddle and lead guitar twang intertwining and intersecting at the crossroads, Rolling Stones boogies and Howlin’ Wolf stomps,
Dylanesque whispers through the backroads and the swamp, put that all together, and what more could you want?
Produced by Adam Hattaway & Elmore Jones, Pony is now available on all streaming platforms and compact disc.
Al Park – Upcoming Live Shows
27th May – The Loons, Lyttelton – Album Release Party
with special guests; Adam McGrath, Jess Shanks, Adam Hattaway, Tess Liautaud & Frankie Daly.
Tickets at Undertheradar.co.nz
3rd June – Donovans Store, Okarito – with Unknown Legends (free show)
4th June – Barrytown Settlers Hall, Barrytown – with Unknown Legends
5th June – Reefton Club, Reefton – with Unknown Legends
With special guest Tash Goodwin
(Tickets available on the door)
Al Park Online
Facebook / YouTube / Audio Culture
Bandcamp / Spotify
