Alberta & The Dead Eyes is the giant-sounding band that in reality is the majority work of one real-life carpenter, David Boone (or D. Boone as he often signs off, evoking another literal and figurative giant of musical history, D. Boon of The Minutemen.)

In fact, Boone’s songs contain that same ramshackle joy and conversational, inclusive tone that Boon’s do. It’s the sound of a natural talent letting it fly.

“I’m a carpenter by day and sometimes even by night,” Boone says. “A fine carpenter at that, but a better musician.”

You may want to leave the page now to find out more about Boone, but don’t bother. He made the right choice. The choice that none of us made and many wish we had. Boone is nowhere to be found on social media. 

He lets the songs do the sharing.

Alberta & The Dead Eyes will release its new 11-song album Give or Take on March 15, 2024. The album will be preceded by “Ghost Kitty,” a four-song EP of additional songs on Dec. 22, 2023.

The songs on Give or Take represent a man in withdrawal from a two-packs-a-day cigarette habit that went on for 15 years.

“Mama, did it fuck me up more than I expected,” Boone confesses. “I wrote the entire record pretty much curled up in a ball.”

Grieving his relationship with nicotine while composing, Boone kept company with his influences, numerous and varied. So numerous and varied that mentioning a handful isn’t going to help you any more than looking for Boone online will.

“I love Billie Holiday. And The Stooges. And The Band. And Outkast. And Duke Ellington. And Cole Porter. And David Sedaris. And Bill Watterson. And the Detroit Pistons. And John fucking Prine.”

Boone doesn’t mention The Minutemen, but likely would, if prompted.

“I mean Jesus, should I keep going?”

Get it?

The thing about Boone as musician that isn’t likely is how much Boone as carpenter makes it into his music. He doesn’t mention the Grateful Dead either, but the steadfast focus that underpins Boone’s freestyle nature is kinda Alberta & The Workingman’s Dead Eyes.

“I’m a complete ‘no one is coming to save you’ type of person,” he explains. “Keep your head down and
do your job. Musician schmoosician. Do what your supposed to fucking do. Write good songs. Play good
shows. Show up on time. Be humble and be fucking nice.”

A real-life carpenter keeping it real-life real. Refreshing.

It should be even less surprising now that musician Boone rejected Instagram squares for T-squares just like he painfully swore off smokes cold turkey for the clean lungs that arrived with the songs, or as Boone sees it, he arrived to them.

“The songs are just there, hanging out, waiting for someone,” he says.

Now that someone is you.

Alberta & The Dead Eyes will release its new 11-song album Give or Take on March 15, 2024, preceded by “Ghost Kitty,” a four-song EP of additional songs on Dec. 22, 2023.

Alberta & The Dead Eyes - So Cool

In 1997, Austin, Texas band Cotton Mather released its "Kontiki" album in the US with little fanfare. In the UK, however, the album was a smash...

"Music to smile yourself to death to. Five Stars." - Uncut
"Superb songs brought to life with daring vitality." - Mojo
"'Kontiki' is a bewildering, dizzy thrill. Five Stars." - The Guardian

It wasn't just the press either.  Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher fell in love with "Kontiki" soon after discovering it.

When Noel was asked "What are you listening to these days?" in the pages of Mojo, he answered: "Cotton Mather, 'Kontiki.' 'I thought if that isn't the best record I've heard in ten years, then I don't know what is." Brother Liam left his praise for the record in the pages of GQ, admitting "I fucking wish it was ours! I play it all day at home." 
 
Back in Austin, the bounce back of the album's influence from across the pond was finally felt, with Britt Daniel of a still-new Spoon proclaiming "'Kontiki' gave me something to shoot for." 

Cotton Mather will re-issue "Kontiki" on Valentine’s Day, 2012 in a deluxe two-CD format that includes four-track demos, acoustic versions and songs that didn't make the final album.


Cotton Mather - Camp Hill Rail Operator (Acoustic Demo)

Fanatic is a music marketing company established by Josh Bloom in 1997 to build fan-to-fan connections between artists and the media. For 25 years, Fanatic has continued to help launch and maintain careers through the strategic advocacy of creative talent.

Cotton Mather - Camp Hill Rail Operator (Acoustic Demo)

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Stephen Mc Elligott

Stephen Mc Elligott

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