Austin Sound

Let’s just get the completely obvious out of the way: Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir is clearly and unequivocally influenced – heavily – by Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman. From the piano playing, to Smith’s vocals, to the production and orchestration, to the lyrics, to the obvious lead-off track “Nilsson sings Newman.” And, it’s utterly fantastic and pleasantly refreshing to hear homage to songwriters not named Dylan, Young, Springsteen, and Costello. Drew Smith and his band, the Lonely Choir, create perfect pop classics that will warm the ears of Newman and Nilsson fans – and likely the fans of indie acts like Spoon, and The Shins.

Dan Dyer has made his way back to Austin after spending a few years in St. Louis raising a family and producing commercial work, and a welcome return it is. His first incarnation, Breedlove, debuted in the late 1990s as an Austin outfit that soaked the music scene with a soulful R&B sound that was 2/3 pop, 1/3 soul - with Dyer’s voice at the forefront. Dyer’s self-titled third release picks up where Breedlove left off, but includes a gospel-revival driven sound fusing rock, soul, jazz, and latin influences with a little less pop into the R&B sound. Recorded on the East side with producer David Boyle, the album is a refreshing dip in the R&B pool which seems to be in short supply these days in Austin. Dyer’s rich, soulful voice is the splashing standout on every track. It pairs well when backed up by Austin-based Mt. Zion Baptist Church Choir, although with his grunts and moans wetting the tracks, you feel a little more like you are visiting him in between the sheets instead of church pews.

Artist: Dan Dyer
Label: Fat Caddy Records
Genre: Pop

During the summer it’s sort of difficult to stray away from the upbeat pop and indie rock that’s so readily available, easy to enjoy and appropriate for the heat, but every now and again it’s nice to slow it down with artists like Dan Dyer, who walk hand in hand with the more sultry side of life.