Joshua Powell and The Great Train Robbery is a band that’s on the run…all of the time. The innovative folk-rock collective blends their love of classic rock, country, and folk music into a centrifuge of original song crafting. This blend of style and influence finally came to hilt when the band went into the studio to record their latest EP, The Commonwealth (which can be downloaded for free on Noisetrade).
Fronted by Powell, his long blonde hair is reminiscent of a young Gregg Allman, and the forlorn sadness in his voice feels so familiar, it can’t be anything but your own heartbreak coming back to haunt you. His songs play out like pendulum that swings from an earthy sweetness “Coyote King” and “Principles of Salt,” to the self-soothing “Simplicity (The Good Thief)” or “Everything Will Be OK,” to literary and intellect in “Leo Tolstoy.”
Joshua Powell and The Great Train Robbery (the band did lift their name from a 1903 silent film), have released two EP’s The Commonwealth and We All Say Hello, as well as two full-length albums: Traveler and Man Is Born for Trouble. They recently recorded their next album, which will hopefully see light of day this summer.
They hail from Anderson, Indiana – utilizing claps, stomps, with a rolling rhythm section underneath classic guitar with enough twang I can still hear them echoing through the valleys of the Appalachians. The guys spent a year on the road and played in 43 states across the country, effectively expanding their homegrown fanbase exponentially by playing hard, playing a lot, and making a connection with any audience they had in front of them.
Tonight, April 2nd, Joshua Powell and The Great Train Robbery will be performing in the lounge at The Bard’s Town. The show will start at 7:00 PM and will cost $5.00 at the door.
