This time last year I did a blog post about a once in a lifetime opportunity my partner and I had to host a concert by one of our favorite divas, Aslyn. What a difference a year makes, now going to concerts is a thing we used to do. Thankfully new music is still being released, as Kalen & Aslyn celebrate on their new album Back Of Our Minds.
Back Of Our Minds isn’t Kalen and Aslyn’s first coupling together (they’re also married), two years ago they teamed up as a duo called Dega. Dega’s self-titled album flirted with fun 80’s electronica, now Kalen & Aslyn moved to first base and back to the 70’s on Back Of Our Minds with twangy-guitar country realness and some easy-listening mellow Manilowesque vibes.
The majority of the album has Kalen, sounding like Elvis Costello in a Don Ho tribute band, taking the lead as Aslyn’s voice beautifully harmonizes in like Joni Mitchell performing in a hotel lobby on a very special Charlie’s Angels episode. Their voices together are perfection as is their co-writing abilities, Back Of Our Mind is their story of years together and apart, the highs and lows.
Since Aslyn is one of the greatest singer-songwriters, in my gay opinion, it’s when she takes the lead that Back Of Our Minds really shines. “Fate” has the piano playing and beautiful balladry that’s classic Aslyn but “Girlfriend” is the song that blows my mind, with it’s banjo plucking beat and lyrics longing for a happier time.
Captain & Tennille were the power musical couple of the 70’s but Kalen & Aslyn are cruising into the sunset this decade…thankfully without the sailor hat and bowl cut.
