After the quiet conclusion of Grandaddy’s extraordinary decade-plus run in 2006, fans were left wondering what would become of one of indie rock’s most affecting personalities, Grandaddy singer and songwriter Jason Lytle. With the release of Yours Truly, the Commuter on May 19th that question will be answered, for Jason Lytle is back with a record that promises to surpass all expectations of even the most fervid enthusiasts.
Seen most recently as a featured artist on the new M. Ward record Hold Time and live at Terminal 3 of the San Francisco International airport as part of the experimental holiday program “You Are Here,†Lytle has thus far left little clue of the masterpiece up his own sleeve.
On Yours Truly, the Commuter, dreamy soundscapes mirror the dramatic environment of Lytle’s newly-adopted Montana, where the record was written and recorded, while the twang of central California farmland remains in the inflection and phrasings of the Modesto native’s unmistakable voice. Electronic flourishes collide with acoustic guitars and soulful piano parts, recreating Lytle’s signature electro-lo-fi atmospheres. The fuzzed out rocking of “It’s the Weekend†is balanced by the beautiful heartbreak of “Rollin’ Home Alone,†but it is the opening lines of the first song that so neatly encapsulates the past few years of Jason Lytle’s life, and his future as an artist:
“I may be limping, but I’m coming homeâ€
Yours Truly, the Commuter tracklisting:
1. Yours Truly, The Commuter
2. Brand New Sun
3. Ghost Of My Old Dog
4. I Am Lost (And The Moment Cannot Last)
5. Birds Encouraged Him
6. It’s The Weekend
7. Fürget It
8. This Song Is The Mute Button
9. Rollin’ Home Alone
10. You’re Too Gone
11. Flying Thru Canyons
12. Here For Good