“Atlanta Love Letter” is the debut single from Bon Allinson and the Harm, a recently formed outfit fronted by singer and guitar player Bon Allinson.
Since 2007, Allinson has blazed a path through the local music scene playing with outfits such as Ominous Castle, Abby Gogo, More, and A Drug Called Tradition—each group plumbing the depths of psychedelic indie rock, shoegaze fury, noise, and bliss. “Atlanta Love Letter” is a statement of change for Allinson. While there’s still plenty of delay pedal and not-so-subtle nods to his fiery past, the songwriting builds on a natural evolution while looking back on a life spent traversing Moreland Ave., where ghosts are lined up at every crosswalk.
“Atlanta Love Letter” is a somber number that finds Allinson embracing a stripped down singer-songwriter approach.
“I wrote the song when I started working at Aurora Coffee, and I started seeing people I had forgotten about,” Allinson says. “I was excited about landing the job and was excited to be working with James Oh. We started telling stories—James has a great memory. I had some rough years living here, and got out on the other side of that,” he goes on to say. “This song was really coming from a place of gratitude, while being aware of where I came from and where I was.”
The song was recorded by Mathis Hunter at Alpha Centauri. For this first offering, bass player James Oh (formerly of the N.E.C.) and lap steel player Josh Tarica round out the lineup, although full band recordings are in the works.
The music is slow and direct, serving as a dreamlike backdrop for Allinson’s autobiographical reflections.
More songs from a forthcoming full-length, to be titled Now I know What A Ghost Is, will materialize soon. Allinson says there are some more rocking numbers in the works as well. In the meantime, press play below and let the history and the apparitions sink in.
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