Casper Allen & The Naturals are kicking off the year with the release of their debut single, “Damned Old Sun,” a soulful, hard-hitting track that marks the beginning of a new era for the Texas-born troubadour and his powerhouse band (featuring critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Shawn Hess on bass and R. Cooper Long locking in the rhythm).
The track is accompanied by a visually stunning music video directed by Greg Lewis. “Damned Old Sun” is the first taste of The Hard Way, the group’s upcoming debut EP set for release in May.
“‘Damned Old Sun’ was written as I was becoming conscious of the dissolution of my marriage,” says Allen. “I was thinking back on better times and walking along the beach in the Peconic Bay in New York, and the lyrics just started coming to me. I was listening to Roy Orbison’s Crying album non-stop at the time, so, apologies to Roy if I accidentally swiped any ideas.”
Following a decade-long solo career that saw him honing his craft on the road in the tradition of songwriting legends like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, Allen has assembled this three-piece band that embodies the spirit of Americana music in its rawest, most electrifying form. The Naturals deliver a genre-blurring sound that fuses Texas blues, honky-tonk, R&B, and vintage rock & roll.
The band’s formation was as organic as their sound. “This was from our first recording session, which, coincidentally, was also the first day we ever played together,” Allen shares. “Shawn and I had messed around a little, but I’d never played with Cooper before. Three of the tracks on the EP are the takes from that very first day. The session went so well, we all looked at each other and went: ‘We should take this on the road.’ And here we are, 100 cheeseburgers and a few thousand miles later.”
Recorded in a whirlwind session at Shawn Hess’ place in Laramie, WY with Ruebin Buchanan running the tape machines, the EP captures the raw energy of a band in perfect sync from day one. “We started on Saturday morning, took a three-hour break for a gig that night, came back, recorded more, and did a track the next morning before everyone had to leave,” says Allen. “When Ruebin sent us the files, we were all texting each other like, ‘Holy, these rule.’ I just drove around banging that for like three hours.”
With “Damned Old Sun” and The Hard Way EP, Casper Allen & The Naturals are set to carve out their own space in the ever-evolving landscape of Americana music. Get ready for a year of relentless touring, soul-shaking performances, and storytelling at its finest.
Casper Allen & The Naturals debut single “Damned Old Sun” is out now. The group’s The Hard Way EP will be released in May.
