An Evening Echo

Through the "storm of the decade" comes Ash & the Matadors' An Evening Echo. Holed up for a wintry week in an isolated hall on the Otago Peninsula, the band along with producer/engineer Mike Holland battled the elements to bring you their debut album. An Evening Echo encompasses all that the band is known for in their hometown of Dunedin, with a rich and raw sound that is solely theirs. Splicing hints of southern rock, pints of British swagger, and the bardish storytelling of lead Ash Officer, An Evening Echo is lyrical rock for a new generation.

Building on 2010 EP The Mansion Tapes, southern lads Jared Smith, Spencer Morgan, along with Officer and new drummer Glen Kellett, set up camp to record as a massive storm battered the region and freezing winds rattled through the old scout hall. Dealing with dirty power and mysterious intermittent radio interference, the band spent the days huddled around the open fire waiting for conditions to subside so that recording could resume. "It was the strangest, coldest, yet most radical week of our lives" front man Ash Officer remarked, "We let loose most days to keep the spirits up".

The 11 track LP, recorded at Hoopers Inlet, Albany St and the band's local jam on Melville St, captures the Matadors' diverse sound, from the lamenting bluesy ballad of "Flower", to the crunchy sleaze strut of "Love in the New Decade". The album simultaneously revels in its obvious and affectionate influences whilst also creating an entirely unique entity, something truly original, a band playing their very own style. Ash & The Matadors bring their engaging live show to the South Island this November with a 2 week tour around all coasts to celebrate the release of An Evening Echo.