The Ashley Davis Band – When the stars went out

“When the Stars Went Out” is Ashley Davis’ most ambitious and creative album to date. It is the first album she has composed together with her touring band, The Ashley Davis Band.

While the country roots style of the album documents a sprawling American folk music tradition, the details in the individual lyrics create a personal space for emotional expression. “When you come from a roots background,” Davis says, “you long for that space, that quiet, that purity.”

“When the Stars Went Out” brings together the skills and influences of renowned multi-instrumentalists Dave Curley, Colin Farrell, Will MacMorran, and Duncan Wickel. Ashley’s longtime producer Gawain Mathews oversaw production with the band.

As the album grew, so did its virtual network, as many artists from the world of American roots, Irish, and Irish-American music lent their talents to the project. Some of the names from this group include Heidi Talbot, Tim O’Brien, Tony Furtado, Kevin Crawford, Mick McAuley, Shane Hennessy, and Grammy Award winner Shawn Colvin.

The AD Band also took on the additional challenge of recording virtually and behind closed doors, which became an experiment in modern songwriting. With each track recorded from home, there was a natural clash of creativity as the songs were created piece by piece in distant locations.

When the Stars Went Out is an album of diverse personalities connected by Davis’ poetic, powerful vocals. It is a vibrant, singing archive of the pandemic, of collective creativity, and of exploring those delicate, reflective moments of isolation.

Tracklist:

1. Davey Jones
2. Mountain Jane
3. Burning House
4. Lorem Ipsum
5. How ‘bout You
6. Annachie Gordon
7. Buffalo Mountain
8. When He Loved Her Too
9. You Haven’t Left Me
10. Gloaming Song
11. Not Today
12. The Dry Cloud
13. Sign of the Times
14. Here By My Side