APRIL 24, 2012 - It will be up to fans to figure out if ASH GRAY was truly, as he sings on the jangling title track of his latest CD, “BORN IN THE SUMMER” of Love, but there’s no doubt that the New York based singer/songwriter is drawing from the sweet and glorious rock and folk sounds of the late 60s as he continues to take the possibilities of pop harmonies and vocal arrangements to exciting new realms.BORN IN THE SUMMER is a joyfully eclectic romp through the classic rock era, starting with the sitar laced, garage band flavored title track that was inspired by late 60s pop-rockers like THE YARDBIRDS and THIRTEENTH FLOOR ELEVATORS, a mid-60s Austin outfit that was one of the first psychedelic rock bands. The song features musical allusions to Summer of ’67. GRAY wrote the crunchy pop/rocker “THE HOTTEST CHICK AROUND” while playing with another band in Austin in 2007, and adapted it for the GIRLS’ lush harmony sounds. The infectious and whimsical ‘PURPLE AND GOLD” (also featuring a touch of sitar) was inspired by a conversation with a friend about the primary colors of a unicorn, while the all acoustic, tinkling piano and upright bass driven “APPLE EYE” features GRAY AND THE GIRLS singing together all the way through—a true showcase for the glory of their three part harmonies.“It was fun tying elements of the old and new lineups together on the new album,” says Gray, “and I love the mix of folk, rock and Americana that gives us an expansive musical landscape to harmonize upon.In recent performances, I’ve had the girls on either side of me and the sonic and visual impact has been incredible. We had a great time making this album.”