Afteralice: “99 Gold” Produced by Stuart Epps
South Carolina-based alternative rock band, Afteralice, have just released their brand new single. The track, entitled 99 Gold, was produced by none other than the legendary Stuart Epps, who has worked with the likes of Led Zeppelin, Elton John, George Harrison, Bill Wyman, and Bad Company among many others. The duo of Steven Fennell (Producer, Arranger, Manager, Drummer) and Jason Crowden (Vocals, Main Song Writer, Guitars, Engineer), who make up the band, have a long track record in the business; Fennell has worked on several projects across many genres over the last 30 years, while Crowden has performed in several successful cover bands over the years in Atlanta. Together as Afteralice, they have built their successful sound on outstanding lead vocals, solid guitar work, addictive melodies, powerful lyrics, layered background vocals and dynamic song structure.
This duo contains the collective talents of a five-piece rock group. Sure, all their songs have catchy hooks and lyrics, but the instrumentals that weave in and out of each set are remarkable.
They get honors on thumping and inventive drumming, the guitars which either shout confidence or sneak in on the sidelines to surprise you, and the vocals which are more than enough to keep this band recognizable. And then there is the classic pulling together of all the songwriting, music arranging and vocal harmonies that give this duo’s music its spirit.
Each member contributes and shines off the other to produce some of the best melodic alternative rock music of the last decade. Masterfully produced by Stuart Epps, listening on headsets is a delight.
Of course every one of Afteralice’s songs are potential big hits, and 99 Gold is no exception. The best way to describe it is to understand that they’ve matured into a place where they can really put their own kind of music onto their recordings – and they’re big on melody, harmony and uplifting chord progressions.
A basic formula used by almost all the classic rock greats, and Afteralice have put their own personal spin on this – as they have one ear stuck on rock structures and another on pop sensibilities.
Of course it does help that Jason Crowden is one of the most gifted and underrated singers I know of. His power and pitch-perfect vocals bring an emotional connection to every word he sings.
His phrasing is unique, always sitting in the music in a way that feels like they cradle each other, melding together. Afteralice also has the ability to tell universal stories that all can relate to, along with pairing them up to compelling music and arrangements. This is enthralling and addictive music, crank the volume and enjoy!
