Songs from the Apocalypse is the prophetic debut concept album from York Calling discovery Asa Stone.

By Graeme Smith

The Los Angeles, USA-based artist has embraced ambition for his debut, tackling themes of modern ruin including ecological, social and personal collapse.

The album opens ethereal and atmospheric thanks to its powerful opener Mountains and from there we get smouldering country and folk rock mixed with a certain Pink Floyd-esque psychedelia. The vocals are understated and laidback, but pack an emotional punch.

Things feel coherent and tied together by narrative, yet we get plenty of sonic variation. Float on Sleepy Head is a suitably airy highlight while Wild Fires gives us some classic folk rock. Desert is an ambient instrumental while Wheeler is a toe-tapping rouser.

The album has two singles, the gentle yet devastating Bad Luck Cowboy and lingering album closer And What Good Are You?

Asa Stone is a performing name inspired by Flannery O’Connor’s enigmatic preacher, Asa Hawks, and the character has a similar weight to him as he proclaims the world is ending. I love the narrative that he’s poured into his debut, and the rawness he puts into his music as he delivers it. There’s a lot to unpack in his album, and it demands multiple revisits.

Songs from the Apocalypse is out now and you can give it a listen below.