An earthy blend of stripped-down story driven pop-folk/rock songs about love and loss (and punctuation) freshly brewed and served up steaming from the American roadhouse. Kinda John Hiatt meets Paul Simon at Lyle Lovettâs house.

12 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Folk Pop, ROCK: Roots Rock



Details:
12 new songs about love and loss (and punctuation) from an ASCAP Sammy Cahn Award winner.

âUnless It Isn'tâ is singer-songwriter Johnnye Allee's debut album. Combining a gentle and fluid voice with acoustic piano, acoustic and electric guitars, and drums, his music is an earthy blend of stripped-down, story driven pop folk/rock freshly brewed and served up steaming from the American roadhouse. His unconventional songs are at once wry, intimate, soulful, cinematic, and poignant.

From the rootsy, ice-house feel of âEverything Will Be All Rightâ, to the mournful country-flavor of âOn the Kern County Lineâ and âTexas to Tuesdayâ, all of the songs on this album have a personal musical style that is grounded in the traditions of the great singer-songwriters from the sixties and seventies. âIâm the Apostropheâ and âFire is Yellowâ take on a heat-hazed swampy intensity with âTornâ adding a measure of ethereal ambience and âHalf on the Side of the Leaverâ lending gospel tinged raw-boned grit. âThatâs the Thing of Itâ introduces an almost symphonic piano-based pop sound, while âA Simple Transpicuous Philippic; or, You're Not Niceâ plays it folk-traditional in an homage to Paul Simonâs send up of Bob Dylan. âAnother New York Knockoutâ, âHidden in the Crosshairsâ, and âI Love You Like Thisâ display crisply poetic lyrics and haunting melodies, with a rich sense of harmony in the elegantly simple arrangements.

Johnnye is a recipient of the ASCAP/Sammy Cahn Award for excellence in lyric writing (past winners include John Mayer, Josh Ritter and Lori McKenna) and a multi-faceted performer whose music and acting credits include appearances on stage at Arizona Theatre Company, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Pasadena Playhouse, The Wiltern Theatre, The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, Houston Grand Opera, and the Mark Taper Forum, among others. He has also performed for audiences in Europe and Russia, though, thankfully, he says, in his native English. TV and Film appearances include âGrease 2â, âAlways Say Goodbyeâ, âPhoenixâ, âShattered Vowsâ, âCandid Cameraâ, âNowhere Fastâ, and âHope and Gloriaâ.

Johnnye is also an award winning author and composer of musical plays, including âThe Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappearâ and âPoetâs Gardenâ (which won the Backstage West Garland Award for Best Musical Score). His songs have been performed in clubs, theatres and on national TV.

âUnless It Isnâtâ makes a great addition to your collection if youâre a fan of Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Paul Simon, fellow ASCAP Sammy Cahn Award winners Josh Ritter and John Mayer, Five For Fighting, Damien Rice, Jimmy Lafave, James Blunt, Elliot Smith, Ray Lamontagne, Dave Matthews, Alexi Murdoch, Chris Whitley, Marc Cohn, Rufus Wainwright, Charlie Sexton â¦