Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

Owen Ashworth started Casiotone for the Painfully Alone in 1997 as an electro-pop one-man band. But over the years, the act has made its sound more organic, especially as Ashworth started playing with various collaborators. The seemingly confessional lyrics are really snapshots of American life, and the kinds of portraits...

By Tom Murphy

September 9, 2010

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Owen Ashworth started Casiotone for the Painfully Alone in 1997 as an electro-pop one-man band. But over the years, the act has made its sound more organic, especially as Ashworth started playing with various collaborators. The seemingly confessional lyrics are really snapshots of American life, and the kinds of portraits we'd almost rather not share, in spite of the flawed beauty inherent in them. Ashworth's songs are the musical equivalent of the films of Todd Solondz and Wes Anderson: oddly compelling despite often shining a light on uncomfortable situations, all while maintaining a healthy sense of humor in the worst moments. Casiotone's live shows leave you with a great sense of peace rather than unrelenting sadness, and that is what makes Ashworth, touring with this project for the last time, such a remarkable performer.

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Tom Murphy is a writer, visual artist and musician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a prolific music writer for Westword and a documenter of the Denver music scene.

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