It’s human nature to look back, and to try to make sense of that which has gone by. For the luminous indie folk duo of Joshua Lee Turner and Allison Young, it’s a question not only of what should be relinquished, but also what might be worth taking with you. “There’s goodness in every decade of music. And there’s goodness in every season of life,” Josh shares. “For us, it’s about finding what’s golden in the past and bringing that forward.”
The pair share an eclectic nostalgia for sounds of the past—Jazz and Classical, Golden Age musicals, big bands of the ‘40s, singer-songwriters of the ‘60s, dewy indie rock of the early 2010s—as well as a passion for instrumental music and covers. These points of connection began online, culminated in an impromptu recording session in Nashville, and compelled an unexpected path forward.
The duo’s first release together, a cover of Willie Nelson’s “Crazy,” gathered massive enthusiasm online as well as the fervent demand of one European promoter that they tour overseas. Josh and Allison accepted the invitation and rushed to record an EP to have something—anything—to play for audiences, audiences which sold out venues and applauded The (yet-to-be-named) Bygones with standing ovations before they even strummed a note. “It didn’t make any sense,” Josh says. “We weren’t a band yet.” But to see The Bygones live is to comprehend the hype. Allison’s stylish, luminescent presence and vocal finesse, Josh’s astonishing technical aptitude, and the palpable joy in their onstage dynamic create a live show experience that demands multiple encores.
Rather than a band asking the world to listen, the world asked these two musicians to be a band. Their debut album The Bygones is out now on Tone Tree.