On October 16th the Indy music scene received a great gift from Joshua Powell & the Great Train Robbery in the form of their newest LP project, Alyosha. After playing over 400 shows spanning more than 40 states, the folk collective’s lead vocalist and creative mind, Joshua Powell, decided it was time to create something new – something he wanted to hear. The Indy-based band decided to trek into uncharted musical territory from the band’s previous releases to explore the realm of psych-folk music. Alyosha is a stunningly creative work that provides a carefully crafted musical journey everyone deserves to enjoy.
Powell spent his high school years learning guitar from the internet and cycling through unsuccessful punk/emo bands before discovering the world of folk music. And in 2011, Joshua Powell & the Great Train Robbery was formed. The band acts as a collective, which means different musicians cycle in and out based location and availability. Powell’s brother, Jacob, is one of the more consistent contributors on the drums along with Adam Shuntich, who plays guitar and contributes back up vocals. Originally from Florida, Powell now resides in Anderson, IN, where he studied music business.
Alyosha released Oct. 16th
“On Alyosha, I tread the line between making it sound like a purposeful, cohesive album, but shedding the pastoral restrictions of organic instruments to enjoy the weird stuff.”
Powell took a more experimental approach to creating his third LP, Alyosha, and wanted to escape the typical banjo expectation tied the folk music identity. He experimented with electric guitars, effect chains and keyboard sounds that all pay off wonderfully in creating a psychedelic appeal to the album. Instrumentally, the album flows freely with moments of breezy ease before building up to glimmering fast paced i bliss. Powell’s vocal versatility also adds to the album’s distinct sound. His vocals are comfortably haunting before evolving into strong and demanding lyrical moments. Each track off the album offers moments of evolution into the unexpected that make each listen seem new and exciting.
Since the release of Alyosha, Powell has been playing shows around the Indy area and will be performing in West Lafayette on Halloween at Hunter’s Pub Down Under. A new music video is in the works for “Gunfighter Ballad for the 21st Century.” Powell also plans to kick off a bigger tour in January of 2016. He is also pursuing a new podcast that he will host and interview local Indy musicians. Alyosha is available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and purchase on their website.
Follow Joshua on Twitter: @JPandtheGTR
Follow the band on Facebook: JoshPowellMusic
Visit the band’s website here!
Written By: Warren Cangany
Trndy Indy 