Consider me slightly floored by the four charming tracks that make up Lonesome. They came over with the humblest of notes from one Allister Izenberg, and do indeed suit a scene like the one above. Lonesome he is, but each spin reveals more hints of sunlight through his bedroom blinds that would have one believe Allister isn’t the miserable kind of alone, but rather, the restlessly inventive.
Bird chirps, loon calls, saloon pianos…Lonesome had me intrigued too, so we ended up trading a few e-mails:
DS: Age 19, from Los Angeles, what else should we know about Allister Izenberg?
AI: That’s all you really should know about Allister Izenberg 🙂
DS: I’ve made some assumptions about how Lonesome was recorded. Fill me in.
AI: The recording process was lonely, dark, with my heater blanket, and sleepytime tea.
DS: Did you have any other records with you? Specifically The White Album? “Little Swan” has this “Don’t Pass Me By” / “Honey Pie” thing going on. “Allodoxaphobia” plays with a melody from the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack, which results in a unique yet equally moving song.
AI: There’s always some Beatles somewhere, and for “Allodoxaphobia” I was alone one night in my room and I was watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and it was so beautiful and I was so touched by Jon Brion’s piece I decided to make my own song out of it not thinking anyone would hear it besides my friends.
DS: You’re doing some west coast shows with Stereo Total. Excited? Have you toured much?
AI: I am so excited to go on tour and take these pups to the stage. I toured opening for Roger Daltrey (The Who) in my last band which was pretty sweet, we played some amazingly beautiful venues which I wish to revisit one day. The band broke up due to musical differences, we were called Paper Zoo. So stoked to go out though, so stoked.
DS: Very cool man, best of luck. Mind if I .zip up this EP and mediafire it out?
AI: Sure, zip that up.
Allister also mentioned he went to high school and played some shows with Will Wiesenfeld (Baths). Must be something in those water fountains.