It's a rare thing these days that an independent artist can achieve a level of professionalism and total perfection with a non-major label supported
release, but somehow Roy Ashen does it SO well and makes it seem SO easy. It's clear from album opener 'I'll Bet You Even Think You Know Me',
that Ashen is on to something - something BIG. Hailing from sunny California, Ashen, originally a GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology) master instructor,
avoided the pitfalls of being lumped as a 'shred guy', and instead decided to focus his abilities on songwriting/arranging. He released his solo debut, the amazing, and often eclectic A Little Drop of Something Not Quite Blood* garnering a fair amount of underground buzz/publicity, along with critical praise
and a loyal following. After a few minor setbacks, Ashen is back with Sugar and Gasoline, a disc so full of hooks, tight arrangements and terrific performances, it makes me wonder just how long before he is snatched up by a major label. Ashen builds his songs in a way that can only be compared, albeit loosely to that of Bowie, Kravitz, Mayfield, Hendrix, and Sly (and those don't even come close to just how fresh these songs sound). Melding a strong sense of soul, with a funky looseness, songs such as 'On Your Side', 'I Miss You' (which should make him a superstar!!!!), 'Someday', 'Wonderful', and the anthemic 'Wake Me' are delivered with such distinction, that rarely have I heard an artist with such a clear, and well-defined sound all their own. Roy's strong vocal abilities almost outshine his amazing guitar work, which never once resorts to flashy solos or grandstanding, but opts for multiple layers of acoustic/electric styles with a heavy dose of percussion, horns, strings, and harmonies, creating a lush sonic landscape, drawing you deeper with each repeated listening. Often times, independent releases suffer from poor production values and low budget quality, but this disc, from it's pristine sound and production, to the totally pro-level packaging, is a winner on all fronts. If there is ONE artist I feel deserves a shot at the big time....It's none other than Roy Ashen.
*As a side note, A Little Drop of Something Not Quite Blood is very hard to find right now, but Roy has plans of re-issuing the disc in the near future.
