Austen Malone pays tribute to the past

Austen Malone probably should have played in the Allman Brothers Band in the 1970s. But he was born in the wrong decade.

However, he is a musician and junior at UMKC, majoring in Urban Design and Development.

Malone first picked up a guitar when he was 13. His step-dad was a musician.

"He'd always be jammin' out on the acoustic guitar, playing some blues," Malone said. "And I just always loved to listen to it."

Malone said it was the "emotional vibe and energy" that really drew him into music.

Since then, he has been in various bands. He's currently the guitarist and singer for The Yellow Walrus, "a nonsense name" of random combinations.

"It has turned into this mysterious kind of creature," Malone said. "It kind of represents the elephant in the room - if you ever see a yellow walrus walking down the street, you can't ignore that."

Malone was born and raised in Kansas. He moved to Seattle after graduating high school, but continued band practice via the Internet with Alex Chapman (bass), who was still living in Kansas. At the time, their band name was In Motion. Evan Stein (drums) joined In Motion two weeks before they recorded their album, Chasing Thoughts.

"I was in Seattle, playing songs, recording them on YouTube, sending them to [the others], and that's how we practiced," Malone said. "It was amazing."

In Motion became The Yellow Walrus, and the three members met Daniel Bowersox (keys and guitar) in March 2009 while they were recording Sunflowers. Bowersox was an audio technician.

"I heard him just doodling on the piano, just playing random stuff," Malone said.

Malone then asked him to join (Bowersox is not on Sunflowers; the keyboard parts were already recorded). Malone also moved back to Kansas.

The band has developed a strong pride for their home state, displaying the Kansas Flag at their shows, in the last track on the album ("Kansas Sky") and, of course, the album title.

Sunflowers was recorded live in four sessions, over about four days of recording.

"We really wanted to do it live," Malone said. "I think you get such a more soulful feeling when you record albums live. … Listen to albums made in the '60s and '70s - that's how they did it. And you get that feel, because there is some impurity and almost raw or vulnerable, real organic sound to it."

Malone believes they achieved that with the album "to a degree."

"Our writing has come such a long way since then, especially now since Danny (Bowersox) has been writing with us," Malone said. "We're in love with it (the album), but we've found another lover."

They are currently writing songs for their next live album, The Lynnwood Family Revival and Friends Along the Way, a fantasy-like story with personified objects Malone created lyrically.

An EP will come out before the full length. They plan to start recording in the spring. Fans can expect a different feel to this album, more grass roots and "pure rock 'n' roll" like some of Malone's current influences: The Carpenters, Simon and Garfunkel, Elton John, The Beatles and more.

"We feel like that time period really got it right when it came to the soul of music," Malone said. "We want people to feel like they've revisited something in the past, almost honoring the past … (but) we'll have our own twist to it."

Sunflowers is available at their online store (www.myspace.com/theyellowwalrus) or on iTunes.

mcowan@unews.com