Ernest Greene, the mastermind behind electro-pop bedroom recording project Washed Out, is the kind of unassuming guy who looks like he’d be kind to animals and close to his grandmother. He doesn’t look like the kind of guy who’d inspire impassioned marriage proposals and subtly sexy album art. But then you listen to his music, to his smooth and ringing voice and the simple melody of keys or synthesizers and suddenly you’re in his world.
It’s a lovely world. It’s pastel and soft-focus. It’s ion-rich and infused with salt-spray and sand. On the home page to Greene’s website, a video runs continuously while his music plays. On screen, a pretty young girl pulls violets from her mouth and sticks them to her face and neck. This is a dream.
To listen to Greene talk, his voice is an animated baritone; he looks like a sweet-tempered Adrian Grenier. And, on more recent music (his debut, Within and Without, was critically acclaimed) he’s added a band. And saxophone. And what he laughingly calls “70s kind of soft rock.”
Watch “Far Away” here:
Washed Out opened for Cut Copy at the Orange Peel last fall. With a full band and a set full of chillwave-inspired dream-pop, Greene provided and opening set worthy of headliner status. This Friday (May 18), he is the headliner at Asheville Music Hall.
Airbird opens — its the solo project of Joel Ford (of Ford & Lopatin) who recently relocated to Asheville. Worth noting: Airbird’s new EP, Trust, is due out at the end of this month.
Dog Bite, the side project of Washed Out keys player Phil Jones, also performs. Read about that band here.
10 p.m. show, tickets are $12 in advance or $15 day of show.
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