Stranded in the Future is the debut album by Falling Stars, the Cleveland rock and roll band founded by Christopher W. Allen and Tim Parnin (Rosavelt, Cobra Verde, Sweet Apple). The album was recorded in North Carolina at Fidelitorium by Mitch Easter and produced by Don Dixon, the duo behind seminal pop albums Murmur and Reckoning. Stranded in the Future was mastered at Sterling Sound by Greg Calbi, whose credits include Born to Run, Damn the Torpedoes and Blood on the Tracks. All songs written by Christopher W. Allen and Tim Parnin Royal Majesties Publishing, ©2017. Falling Stars Christopher W. Allen: Vocals, guitar Tim Parnin: Guitar Don Dixon: Vocals, bass, keys Rob Ladd: Drums, percussion Cleveland Scene Magazine said of the new album: They’re both guitar players and songwriters who have been making music in the Cleveland scene for many years. And as long as Tim Parnin (Cobra Verde, Sweet Apple, Chuck Mosley) has known Chris Allen, he’s been encouraging him to explore his rock side. Decades later, the pair finally spent a couple of years writing songs for what would eventually become their first album, Stranded In The Future, which will be released under the banner of Falling Stars. “It’s funny — this seems way overdue,” Parnin says. “We’ve hinted about it in the past, but have always both been busy with our own bands.” Once they were able to set aside time for recording, things came together quickly. They laid down basic tracks during three productive days of recording at Mitch Easter’s studio in North Carolina. Easter engineered the sessions with Don Dixon producing and mixing the songs. For those familiar with Allen’s normal work, both as a solo artist and with the band Rosavelt, it’s a slight departure — a purposeful move that both were excited to make. “You’ve been around the block, I’ve been around the block — let’s see if we can find some new streets to hang out on,” Allen says, remembering the initial conversations he and Parnin had at the Happy Dog discussing the potential project. “If we couldn’t do that, we were never going to spend the time recording it.” Tracks like “Down and Out In Ohio” and “Behind The Blinds” crackle with a fresh energy and plenty of guitars while songs like “Losing Without You” and “The Lonely Keep In Touch” demonstrate the depths of sonic exploration that the pair weren’t afraid to indulge. It’s an engaging listen that longtime fans will enjoy and they’ll probably attract some new ears as well as they begin to play live shows together in the new year. — Matt Wardlaw