Often cited as a major influence on a bevy of up-and-coming DIY multi-instrumental acts, Casiotone For The Painfully Alone remains a man of his craft. Born Owen Ashworth, the 31 year old singer, songwriter and Chicago resident mixes traditional Americana with 80’s synth pop and commercial hip-hop using a makeshift dub soundsystem, glitchy drum machine rhythms, battery-operated synths, melodic loops, and samples. Laying the foundation for acts like Dan Deacon and High Places, CFTPA remains a very well respected and vital part of the noise-pop continuum.
Ashworth’s latest release, The Town Topic EP consists of thirteen instrumental pieces (including ring tones), book-ended by two vocal tracks; collecting tracks from two limited, vinyl-only EPs plus the bonus track “Lesley Gore on the Tami Show.” While the 7″ were independently released, Tomlab will be putting out the CD version. One of the songs with vocals – “Ice Cream Truck” – is a simulated July soundscape of Mr. Softee jingles, cicadas and trunk-rattling bass from passing cars and tells the story of criminal-minded kids who go joy-riding in a stolen ice cream truck and make other poorly-informed decisions along the way.
MP3 Download – “Ice Cream Truck”
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone tourdates
10.03.08 – Madison, WI (The Annex)#
10.09.08 – Des Moines, IA (Vaudeville Mews)*
10.10.08 – Northfield, MN (Carleton College)*
10.11.08 – Iowa City, IA (PS1)*
10.12.08 – St Louis, MO (Lemp Arts)*
10.13.08 РDeKalb, IL (House Caf̩)*
10.14.08 – Chicago, IL (Empty Bottle)*
10.23.08 – Medford, MA (Oxfam Cafe Tufts University)^
10.24.08 – Annandale-on-Hudson, NY (SMOG Bard College)^
10.25.08 – Ridgewood, Queens, NY (Silent Barn)^ &
10.26.08 – Hoboken, NJ (Maxwells)%
10.27.08 – Providence, RI (Club Hell)%
10.29.08 – Athens, OH (Crystal Castle)%
10.30.08 – Cincinnati, OH (Northside Tavern)%
10.31.08 – Louisville, KY (Pour Haus)%
11.01.08 – Indianapolis, IN (Locals Only)%
* with Ill Ease
# with Sunset Rubdown
^ with Pants Yell!
& with City Center
% with No Kids
