EP Review: TOWNE 'Games We Play'

This Nashville-based duo TOWNE consists of Pennsylvania-bred, music theater geek Steevie Steeves and straight-from-Kentucky, former bassist for punk-rock band, The Pink Spiders, Jon Decious. The two talents crossed paths at Skip Ewing’s Horse and Writer Seminar in Wyoming where they immediately connected musically. Not long after they met, they realized they both lived behind the liquor store on 8th in the heart of Music City, yet they had to travel thousands of miles to find out they were meant to make music together. 

Recently, the twosome released their latest EP, Games We Play, which blends Americana, country and pop into an easy on the ears collection. Produced by Evan Hutchings (who also doubles on the drums), the EP contains five tracks (all co-written by the duo) that deal with varied aspects of relationships beginning with the incredibly relatable “Runnin’ Into You” about seeing your ex every time you turn around. That’s followed by two ballads, “Messed Up” and “The One I Love,” that are soulfully delivered by Steeves. The former is an emotionally charged, contemporary tune about relationships and how confusing they can often be while the latter captures that moment when you realize the one you’re with isn’t the one you love.

Rounding out the EP is “All About Us,” a song about trying to remember to put things in perspective, and the EP's highlight “The Rest,” (on which Decious takes lead vocals) which is quite simply a gorgeous pedal steel accented, roots based ballad about the ones we meet before we meet “the one.”  

Steeves and Decious deliver a heartfelt look into the "games we play" on an EP that you will find yourself both relating to and frequently revisiting.

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