New Brunswick musician Adyn Townes’ debut album ‘After The Fall’ is honest, sincere and full of heart.
Matt Carter
It’s been over a year now since New Brunswick songwriter Andy Brown caught everyone off guard when he announced he was changing his name. After experiencing a major accident that threatened to end his career, Brown decided it was time to shake things up, to approach his career and his music with a new energy and a renewed enthusiasm.
On January 1, 2017, Brown announced that he was putting his old music to rest and would begin following a new creative path under the name Adyn Townes.
“When I injured my shoulder back in the fall of 2015 and was forced to take more than a year off from playing music, I remember feeling extremely alone,” said Townes. “Guitar had become such an extension of who I was that I barely recognized myself anymore. And yet, it wasn’t until I was forcibly separated from it that I started to approach songwriting in a much different way.”
During his recovery, while Townes was collecting new ideas for his next release, it became evident that his next batch of songs were going to sound nothing like the material he’d been writing and performing since the release of his debut album, 2009’s False Alarm.
“To keep myself from going crazy, I started humming every idea that popped into my head and recorded it on my phone,” said Townes. “Over time, I began to realize that the songs were different from anything I’d ever written before, and that made me excited to dive in even further. When it was finally time to start playing guitar again, I realized that my acoustic was still a bit too wide to play comfortably so I made the switch to electric guitar, which opened up even more possibilities.”
After working successfully with producers Brad Perry and Daniel Ledwell on previous releases, Townes wanted to enlist a new pair of ears to help explore the new sounds he was experimenting with. After hearing the work of PEI musician/producer Colin Buchanan (Paper Lions), the two began a conversation that would eventually lead to Buchanan producing Townes’ debut, After The Fall.
“I have admired Paper Lions for as long as I can remember, and in particular, Colin’s unique musical style and on-stage personality,” said Townes. “I had been looking for a few months to find the right producer that would bring these new songs to life, but wasn’t having any luck. Then one morning I heard Washington by my friend Emilee Sorrey playing on Spotify and knew without a doubt that whoever had produced that track was who I needed to do this record. After a few phone calls and a sit down meeting with Colin, who is also one of the nicest people on the planet, After The Fall was off and running.”
In addition to producing and mixing the recording, Buchanan also worked with Townes on songwriting and arrangements for the record. He also plays several instruments on the album.
“Colin’s ability to keep the songs in their natural form, while helping bring them outside the box was exactly what I was looking for,” said Townes.
After The Fall is both a departure and an introduction. It signifies the closure of one creative path and the introduction of another. While still guided by the unique voice that helped build the career of Andy Brown, After The Fall is all Townes. It’s a highly polished ten track collection that sees the artist exploring some of his most adventurous arrangements and most personal songwriting to date.
On this, his debut, Townes isn’t chasing after anything. He’s simply being honest with himself and that honesty is what makes After The Fall shine so brightly.
The album opens with the title track, a song that sets the tone for both the record and the direction Townes is taking his music. Using the first-person narrative style that has long been a part of his songwriting, Townes turns his attention inward addressing his own ego like it’s a scorned lover.
“I’m finally done with all the time that you’ve been stealing, cuz almost dying is the best kind of healing. No longer drowning in the pain you put me through, after the fall I felt nothing at all for you.”
– the opening lines to After The Fall
In capturing this apparent exorcism of self-importance, Townes openly confronts one of life’s biggest hurdles and in doing so, introduces the creative freedom that follows on the next nine tracks.
“This album is the most ‘true to me’ thing I’ve ever written,” said Townes. “I’ve always approached songwriting from a very personal place, but typically my words have focused on the past instead of the present. After The Fall speaks to where I’m at now, and highlights a very real and honest change in the way I approach not only songwriting, but life in general.”
Songs like I Believe, Paris Sky and the previously released single Churchill are full of strong hooks and catchy choruses that benefit greatly from the Townes/Buchanan partnership that has guided this project from the get-go.
The album concludes in much the same way it begins, with Townes being open and honest about where he is in his life today, at least on a creative level. “I’m sick and tired of writing sad love songs”.
In many ways After The Fall is already a success. Born out of what could have easily been a career ending accident, the album brings a new sound and a new energy (and a new name) to an established artist seeking new creative directions while at the same time providing Townes with something countless artists have struggled to do successfully – a complete reinvention – both as an artist and an individual. What an accomplishment!
After The Fall was released July 13, 2018.
Upcoming Performances:
July 18 | Quai des Brumes w/ Rachel Beck, Montreal QC
July 19 | Burdock, Toronto ON
July 20 | Signal Brewing Co., Colbeville ON
July 21 | Stonewater Gastro Pub, Gananoque ON
July 22 | Live! On Elgin, Ottawa ON
July 27 | Arbour Gallery Cultural Centre, Vankleek Hill ON
August 17 | The Seahorse, Halifax NS
August 18 | Sportsman’s, Charlottetown PE
August 24 | The Capital (release show), Fredericton NB
August 25 | Tide and Boar (release show), Moncton NB
September 7 | Citaldel House, Lewisporte NL
September 8 | Melissa Tobin’s, Gander NL
September 14 | The Ship Pub, St. John’s NL
September 15 | The Battery Cafe. St. John’s NL
September 28 | Sanctuary Theatre, Saint John NB
September 30 | Trailside Cafe & Inn, Mount Stewart PE
Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
