For his sophomore solo album, A New Testament, ex-Girls frontman Christopher Owens drew inspiration from the “fundamentals of American music — Gospel, Country, R&B,” dedicating himself to “honest, earnest, simple songwriting — ‘three chords and the truth’.”
Already we’ve heard a few album tracks that speak to that country-fried style: the twangy “It Comes Back to You”; the gospel-inspired “Stephen”; and the honky-tonk jam “Nothing More Than Everything To Me”. Today, Owens shares “Never Want To See That Look Again”, a track that epitomizes the entirety of his newfound musical credo.
Taking cues from Roy Orbison’s brand of rock/country, Owens fills the track with plenty of musical goodies: His voice manages a sweet spot between boyish, poppy croon and haggard outlaw moaning; the guitars somehow punch like John Mellencamp but still chug along like Johnny Cash; and the rhythms make this tune apt for either line dancing or solemn contemplation. Catchy and thoughtful, it’s a country music master class in under three minutes.
Listen in below.
A New Testament is due out September 29th via Turnstile Records.
A New Testament Tracklist:
01. My Troubled Heart
02. Nothing More Than Everything To Me
03. It Comes Back To You
04. Stephen
05. Oh My Love
06. Nobody’s Business
07. A Heart Akin The Wind
08. Key To My Heart
09. Over And Above Myself
10. Never Wanna See That Look Again
11. Overcoming Me
12. I Just Can’t Live Without You (But I’m Still Alive)
Owens has also announced a tour, with dates in North America and Europe. Check his full schedule below.
Christopher Owens 2014 Tour Dates:
09/23 – New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
09/24 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
09/26 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
09/27 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live Downstairs
09/28 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
09/30 – Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus
10/01 – Toronto, ON @ The Mod Club
10/03 – Chicago, IL @ Park West
10/04 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
10/07 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room
10/08 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
10/09 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater
10/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
11/11 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord, Tolhuistuin
11/12 – Paris, FR @ Le Badaboum
11/13 – Antwerp, BE @ TRIX Centrum voor Muziek
11/15 – Liverpool, UK @ Kazimier Gardens
11/16 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
11/17 – Manchester, UK @ The Dead Institute
11/18 – Bristol, UK @ Colston Hall 2, “The Lantern”
11/19 – London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
