Joshua Powell is a singer-songwriter who creates ballads filled with challenging literary references and observations filtered through the lens of an avid reader. His mother is an English teacher, so their home book collection doubles as an exclusive “lending library.” Powell’s latest release, “Alyosha,” is a loose-concept record about the mystic monk from Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov.” It’s based around the life of this character, focusing on what spiritually informs him throughout the story. Powell himself was struck by the character’s “incorrigible goodness” when faced with the decrepit morality of his family.

Joshua Powell is a man wildly more interested in spirituality than religion. He’s experienced supernatural things – events he can’t quite explain – but remains a man of science and modernity. This juxtaposition of belief is what makes Joshua Powell’s music so appealing. Empirical evidence and faith are in a state of constant battle, and Powell showcases this internal struggle through patient, conflicted vocal delivery. His band fills out the bright acoustic fingerpicking with atmospheric guitar swells, shimmering keyboard lines, and rolling percussion. The quartet fleshes out these poignant tales to become Joshua Powell & the Great Train Robbery.

Watch them perform tracks from “Alyosha” here on Audiotree Live.

Session Tracklist
1. Gunfighter Ballad for the 21st Century
2. Petrichor
3. Birth Control
4. The Farmer and The Viper
5. Ernest Hemmingway

Band Members
Joshua – Vocals and Acoustic guitar
Cody – Vocals, Bass, and Keys
Adam – Vocals and Electric guitar
Ryan – Drums

Visit the band’s website

For our friends who live in countries where YouTube is blocked, watch the session on Vimeo.