Chicago songwriter Owen Ashworth has had many names of the years. For over a decade, he performed under the moniker Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, growing an adoring fanbase for his downer lyricism and lo-fi beats. After calling it quits in 2010, he quickly bounced back and began releasing new music as Advance Base in 2012.
It’s been three years since he released the project’s debut, A Shut-In’s Prayer, but he’s been far from idle. During that time he published a book, played keys on Sun Kil Moon’s Benji, crafted beats for rapper Serengeti, and recorded a slew of band’s for his label Ordinal Records. Now, he’s returning to Advance Base and preparing to release his latest album, Nephew in the Wild, on August 21st. Ahead of the release, Ashworth has shared the album’s latest single, “Pamela”.
The sparse track wallows with midwestern dissatisfaction. Ashworth’s lyrics paint a vivid picture of a friend, describing characters who smell like weed and work at Dairy Queen. Simplistic drum machine beats and keyboards provide a lovely undercurrent to the “day in a life” songwriting. It’s Ashworth at his best; indulging in storytelling that’s both self-aware and poignant.
Listen in below.
Ashworth will also be heading out on a short tour, kicking things off tonight in Phoenix, AZ and traversing Cali and the Northwest till he heads back toward Iowa. Consult his schedule below.
Advance Base 2015 Tour Dates:
07/10 – Phoenix, AZ @ Trunk Space
07/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Cafe
07/12 – Oakland, CA @ Night Light
07/14 – Portland, OR @ Waypost
07/15 – Seattle, WA @ Rendezvous
07/16 – Vancouver, BC @ Railway Club
07/17 – Anacortes, WA @ Anacortes Music Channel
07/20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Diabolical Records
07/21 – Denver, CO @ Lion’s Lair Lounge
07/25 – Champaign, IL @ Mike N Molly’s
07/26 – Iowa City, IA @ Public Space One
08/11 – Chicago, IL @ Burlington
Ninindi 