ASHTON (vocals, piano)
DOUGLAS (vocals, piano, guitar)
PAUL (bass, violin, vocals)
MIKE (electric guitar, vocals)
SHANNON (drums)
*Photos by ANDREW CRAIG
Influences
"For my own part, I declare I know nothing about it, but to look at the stars always makes me dream, as simply as I dream over the black dots of a map representing towns and villages.
Why I ask myself should the shining dots of the sky not be as accessible as the black dots on the map of France? If we take the train to get to Tarascon or Rouen, we take death to reach a star. One thing undoubtedly true in this reasoning is this, that while we are alive we cannot get to a star, anymore than when we are dead we can take the train." (Vincent Van Gogh)
Sounds Like
What song gets stuck in your head the most off of our EP?
So I'll Wait Waterslide If You Fall Asleep Machine of Love Public Office
... What people are saying about the debut E.P. ...
"Alaskan Summer is coming. So slap on some sunscreen and get ready to bake, because these kids are hot. The Los Angeles duo consisting of Ashton Lunceford – a sprightly blonde pixy with a saccharine croon – and Douglas Smith (frontman of the band his Orchestra) is slated to released their self-titled debut EP June 29, and has an acoustic show at El Cid scheduled for June 15 to showcase their pure, unadulterated indie-pop to the masses.
The young twosome orchestrates tracks fit for summer nights on the back porch, barbecues in the park, or holding hands with a cute person you like a whole heckuva lot. With lyrics romanticizing kisses on the eyelids, third floor walk-ups, and love machines, Lunceford and Smith's songwriting plucks at the heartstrings. Carefully placed string arrangements – played by Paul Cartwright of Tandemoro – accent Alaskan Summer's otherwise acoustic, toned-down tracks to give the EP a holistic, full-bodied sound.
Recorded in Eagle Rock's Kingsize SoundLabs with producer Dave Trumfio (Built to Spill, OK GO, Jesus and Mary Chain), the six heartfelt tracks on Alaskan Summer feature accompaniments from Cartwright (violin, bass, trombone), Mike Griffin (electric guitar), and Shannon McKinnon (drums) – all of whom are in L.A. band Tandemoro. With a little help from their friends, Alaskan Summer recorded, mixed, and mastered the EP over the course of nine days in February, but the EP doesn't cut any corners.
And the kids are just getting started. With one EP wrapped up, Lunceford and Smith have already begun work on an LP which they hope to release within the next year. If the fresh faced duo continues to crank out witty, snappy pop tracks, Alaskan Summer will be heating up the scene through the falls, winters, and springs to come."
-Whitney Hawke, Radio Free Silverlake, June 2009
"It’s sticky as bubblegum on a sidewalk in August."
-Kevin Bronson, Buzzbands, May 2009
"Like Rilo Kiley before them, this co-ed Los Angeles group play a modern day version of vintage folk-rock."
-MySpace, Featured Artists of the Week, September 2009
Fantastic show. So glad that I made it... I've taken the summer off from doing shows (unless you count or would make it to Zoey's in Ventura next week 6/26) but will, of course, keep you in the loop.
Also, Whitney for sure and hopefully Doug and Paul will be coming by soon to mess around with some stuff in the studio, you should absolutely come along.
Online Now!
looooOOOOooove
