Asheville, North Carolina based folk rocker Matt Townsend has been included on the Asheville Symphony Sessions compilation featuring 8 Asheville artists performing with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, he has performed at the LEAF Festival multiple times as well as the South Florida Folk Festival, he has opened for names such as Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, Big Thief, Ballroom Thieves and Family and Friends, he has toured the Eastern US playing over 180 shows, he teamed up with Welcome to Mars Production and also founded his own label/arts collective called Eternal Mind Records.

Matt has released The Drifter and The Dream (Part I) which is the first installment in a two-part EP series.

The Drifter and The Dream takes us away from Matt’s traditionally solo acoustic style and dives deep into a more eclectic and ambient approach to his already pristine song crafting skills.

Featuring some of the region’s finest musical talent, Matt received help from creative talents such as such as Bill Berg (drums on Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks) River Guerguerian, Kat Williams, Franklin Keel, Jackson Dulaney, Carly Taich, Charles Gately (Doc Aquatic), and Ryan Burns. The record was produced by Michael Selverne, of Welcome to Mars Productions, at Echo Mountain Recording Studios.

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The Drifter and The Dream is a familiar and classic sounding folk-rock, Americana record but with a much appreciated modern approach.

If you can imagine Bob Dylan or Neil Young collaborating with Iron & Wine or Neutral Milk Hotel, you might be able to imagine the sounds of Matt Townsend…or you could just scroll down and preview the EP!

Exploring socio-politics in a very appealing and peaceful way, Matt’s ability to discuss the ragged edges of a world that presents itself as polished and pure is a testament to Townsend’s underlying fury and his refusal to allow apathy a seat at the table.

The Drifter and The Dream (Part I) is available on Bandcamp.

You can connect directly with Matt on his website, FB, IG or Twitter.

Matt is performing with his band throughout the East Coast in support of this album. There is a Kickstarter campaign for those who want to help support Matt’s music. Learn more.