John Allred to Release 7th Album This Friday

_{By Zach Collier}

At this point, Velour’s 10th Anniversary has sold out multiple shows; reunited notable bands like Polytype and Eyes Lips Eyes; welcomed touring artists like Damien Jurado and Peter Harper to Provo; and set a new single loose into the world of music via Foreign Figures. One thing they’ve yet to do is throw an official album release show.

The wait is over.

John Allred will be releasing his first full-length studio album since 2014’s Forest Eyes tomorrow at Velour Live Music Gallery. A prolific songwriter, Allred’s introspective lyrics and fervent delivery have landed him high profile spots on North American tours.

Since 2004 he has supported Augustana, Dashboard Confessional, frequent Colbie Caillat collaborator Jason Reeves, and Matt Nathanson – widely known for his successful 2008 single, “Come On Get Higher.”

Allred himself is very excited to be a part of Velour’s anniversary celebration. “It’s one of my favorite rooms,” the singer told Provo Music Magazine. “I attended the grand opening 10 years ago. Crazy, it’s been a decade since. It speaks for itself when a venue can last this long and keep thriving the way it has. Corey Fox and Kaneischa Johnson have worked tirelessly for this scene and we’re lucky to have them. I’ve had the pleasure of performing there more times than I can count and it never gets old. I’m proud to call Provo my home.”

The new album, simply entitled Seasons, features twelve tracks – one for each month of the year. When asked how the album will differ from his previous release, Allred said, “That’s a good question. Forest Eyes was a real stretch for me creatively. Joshua James pushed me to think outside the box. It was such a rewarding experience. This is a continuation of that. I never want to make the same record, but build on the last one and the things I’ve learned.”

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Self produced and self recorded, fans will find Allred experimenting with new sounds on Seasons. Adding sounds from things like wine glasses and dulcimers, the aim for Allred was to give each song “a different personality” and make “every season feel different than the other.”

Joining John Allred at Velour tomorrow night are Chris Merritt and Cary Judd. “Both acts are actually playing for the first time in years,” says Allred. “I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Chris Merritt numerous times in the past. The most memorable was [when] both of us opened for Ben Folds at Salt Air. He’s incredibly talented. As for Cary Judd, I’ve known him for a very long time. He’s one of the best one man bands I’ve ever seen. It should be quite a night.”

Doors open at 8 PM. The show will begin around 8:30. Tickets for the show are $8 at 24tix.com or $10 at the door (cash only). Digital copies of John Allred’s Seasons will be available on iTunes and Spotify tomorrow, February 12. Physical copies are $10 and will be available at the show and at www.johnallredmusic.com.

Check out a live studio performance of our favorite track from Forest Eyes below.