Dylan Disaster

Austin-based musician Dylan Disaster, known for his years of operating within punk rock bands from all around the country, is releasing his second solo album with Remission. The LP is bold and contemplative, possibly his most intentional work to date, and never drops the blue-collar punk energy that his career has been soaked in since his first day on stage. Remission is an album that Dylan Disaster has crafted for himself, but he invites the world to listen in on. Anyone who wants to seek out an honest examination of an artist, layered in the rage and energy of the bands you used to blast on your car stereo, Dylan Disaster has brought an amazing offering to your table. Remission will be available August 31st, 2019!

The amazing dichotomy of the album comes from the audience’s expectations. The lyrics immediately evoke the image of a confessional letter, detailing the intricacies of a man who has a lot of stories to tell. The kind of lyrics most audiences expect in the gentle, acoustic performances of singer-songwriters, but Dylan Disaster didn’t build his career as a singer-songwriter; he’s rock, through and through. He’s removed the shiny pop-inspired songwriting at the core of many punk bands of our day and substituted the complex honesty of lyrical storytelling in its place, to great effect. The tracks feel like the band you would go see in your local bar, but then Disaster strips back just enough to keep the energy of rock in the music and leave room for the lyrics to take center stage in our focus. From beginning to end, he’s embracing honesty in every track, but he never feels the need to commit to any specific sound. High energy bangers emerge in tracks like “Sun Came Rising,” soulful acoustic-forward songs like “Symphony” follow, and many other explorations exist within a wildly diverse LP that remains cohesive from the orchestral warm up of track one to the train announcements of “South Long Island;” the album’s closing track. - The Daily Tune

There is always room for a troubadour, particularly the wearied, worried soul who has come through a lot of stuff and is willing and able to chronicle their journey with honesty and passion. Dylan Disaster is that Texan troubadour and Remission – his second full-length solo outing after 2015’s self-titled record – is an album full of light and shade, often within tracks, that pulls no punches in terms of honest self-examination and catharsis. While the subject matter may be very personal and reflective, there’s a musical intensity that draws from Dylan’s background as the frontman of punk bands. But this is not angry, frustrated noise and bluster. This album is a gritty and reflective piece which dodges and dips into different musical styles and moods, all cemented with a gritty, raw vocal that leaves no doubt as to the underlying pain, confusion and anguish that spawned the songs in the first place.

Musically diverse, this is not all a one-note, one man and his guitar album, though there is some of that (Restless Heart). The single Milestone, for instance, is a full-on driving punk anthem that is full of fire and unexpected twists and turns. In its diversity, the album reflects the life of the artist: the highs and lows, the changes of pace and tone that spawned the songs in the first place. This is a raw, open and emotional record that has an uplifting and energising thread. Mostly though, it’s a photo album of a man who has been on a journey through some dark places and come through with a determination to keep going. There is depth and contemplative self-reflection too, calling back to times gone by (South Long Island). All in all, a journey that is heartfelt and direct and a window into a life lived fully that should put Dylan Disaster into that exclusive club of blue collar American troubadours. - The Punk Site

Stripped-down blue collar punk rock anthems are certainly not a new phenomenon. Everyone from Tim Barry and Frank Turner to Dave Hause have made a living crisscrossing the globe for the past decade-plus playing Springsteen meets The Clash-inspired ditties. But, Dylan Disaster’s latest, Remission, proves there’s still room for at least one more on the tour bus.

Thirteen tracks cram the latest from this Long Island native, now calling Austin home. And while the songs are not wholly mold breaking in concept, they are still infectiously fun, nonetheless. While his strength tends to be the mellower, acoustic-based fare like “Restless Heart” and “Halfway Home,” the full-throated shouted choruses on “Milestone” – one of the more obvious punk-inspired tracks here and one that deftly tackles depression and mental health – goes a long way to proving Disaster is more than just another tattooed punk with an acoustic guitar.

Coming four years after his solo debut, Remission finds Dylan Disaster writing and singing with a more focused drive. With a few exceptions here and there, the songs are stronger, confident and more personal than any of his earlier efforts, taking what could have been just another generic punk folk record and turning it into an album worth going back to again and again. - NeuFutur Magazine

Bereits der Opener und Albumtitel "Remission" besitzt diese unglaublich einfache Strukturierung, die traditionelle Instrumentierung mit einer sehr Leidenschaft Mischform aus Folk, Country und Rock ’n’ Roll, die Dylan voller Inbrunst lautmalt und intoniert. Mit dem charakteristischen Klangbild aus Bruce Springsteen-Heartland Rock, ranzigem Streetpunk und Dylans sehr prägnanter Stimme entwickeln nahezu alle Songs eine hymnisch-treibende, mitreißende Stimmung zwischen einladende Herzlichkeit und Fernweh. Songs wie ein*e treu*er Begleiter*in für die abenteuerliche Reise ins Ungewisse oder ein kollektiver Spaziergang durchs Viertel. Songs wie "Sun came rising" sind Uptempo-Smasher und Straßenköter-Beißreflexe, haben aber stets den Drang zum kollektiven Mitsingen und viel Platz für eine melancholische Note, da wirkt das mit Streichern verstärkte "Symphony" wie ein verträumtes Weihnachtslied. Und "Restless heart" kommt dem Singer/Singwriter-Modus am Nächsten. Ansonsten bebt die Straße, der Sound rockt und rollt über den Asphalt und die persönlichen Geschichten und Selbstreflexionen spenden Trost, denn: "Remission" sind skizzierte Lebensgeschichten, lautgemalt mit Herz, Hirn und Mut. - Underdog Zine

Ein richtig gutes und stimmiges Album. Ja, hier und da nehmen ich die Bewertung mal ein wenig vorne weg.

Dieses Album hier hat mich überrascht, da ich Dylan Disaster bisher gar nicht kannte und daher etwas überrascht war, wie viele gute Songs denn in 39:28 Minuten Spielzeit auf zwölf Stücken verteilt, vorhanden sein können. Natürlich ist nicht jeder Song ein Mega-Hit aber „Remission“ hat einige richtig gute Momente zu bieten.

Denn die Stücke auf dieser Veröffentlichung haben durchaus einiges an Vielfalt.

Streetpunk, Rock, Country, Akustik und all das untermalt mit einer guten Stimme, die den Songs noch mehr Farbe verleiht.

Ein Highlight auf dem Album ist sicher schon der Opener, der langsam, aber sicher Fahrt aufnimmt und den Hörer schon mit den ersten Akkorden und dem „One Two three“ fesselt. Dazu eine überaus positive Melodie, die gute Stimmung verbreitet und sich im Großen und Ganzen sehr schnell über das Album legt.

Aber auch mit langsameren Nummern hat mich Dylan Disaster gut abgeholt. Als Beispiel möchte ich „Halfway Home“ anbringen. Der mitsingkompatible Refrain beißt sich ins Ohr und das Handclapping hat etwas von Lagerfeuerromantik.

Kurz danach haut uns Dylan dann mit „Sun Came Rising“ eine flotte Bombe um die Ohren, die den Duft der Straße mit sich bringt und definitiv auch zu seinen Hauptbands Nowherebound und Buried Cities passen würde. Ein richtiger Brecher, der gerade die Stimme von Dylan betont.

Danach kommt dann mit Country und auch ein wenig Pop eine radiotaugliche Nummer „Out To Sea“, die zwar einiges an Tempo rausnimmt aber dennoch gut ins Album passt.

Abfeiern können wir dann wieder bei „Long Forgotten Yesterday“. Schon der Anfang knallt richtig rein und lässt Punker und Rocker grinsen und laut feiern.

Auch ich feiere ein wenig.

Und zwar ein Album eines Künstlers, den ich bisher eigentlich gar nicht wahrgenommen habe, aber dessen Veröffentlichungen ich mir ab jetzt nach und nach mal reinziehen werde.

Genau wie dieses Album. Das ist schon in der Playlist und liegt im Auto.

Wahrscheinlich für ne längere Zeit. Reinhören lohnt sich hier - Tough Magazine

Hey Dylan, thank you for taking the time. Where are we catching you right now?
At this very moment, I have the day off from work and I’m doing my best to relax a little bit at home.

For the people who do not know you. Tell us something about your music career. Bands. Solo?
I started playing music when I was 11, I started writing songs before I even knew how to play the guitar and I’ve been writing ever since. I’ve played in pop punk bands, hardcore bands and punk rock bands back home in New York. I played in a „rock“ band in Los Angeles. I played my first acoustic show in Portland in 2007 then I moved to Austin in 2008 and played a lot more acoustic shows. In 2010 I started a band called Revenants which later (2013) became Buried Cities. I joined Nowherebound in 2015. In 2017 I decided to start focusing more on my solo stuff, and now I’ve got a brand new album out and I’ve been doing acoustic tours in cities around the world!

In this year you release your second solo record and also a new record with Nowherebound. Tell us something about these two releases.
Well, they’re very different from one another, that’s for sure. I’d say the major difference between the two records is that I wrote my solo record mostly by myself (with some help from musician friends), and the new Nowherebound record is a huge collaboration from all of the members. Nowherebound decided collectively to write a record together, in our practice space, and we did just that. Then our bass player (Clint) worked tirelessly recording and mixing the thing, and he did an incredible job. Whereas for my solo record, I spent months recording demos and writing my record by myself, then I brought those songs to my band mates to help me shape things to fit the full band sound.

How was the reaction of fans to the new solo record? What do people say about your diversity with bands and solo releases?
People seem to be reacting to the record very positively, even before it was released I shared it with some people and they were kind of blown away by it to be honest. I think it’s been my most ambitious endeavor to date, so I’m really happy to be receiving such positive feedback about it. As far as diversity between bands and solo stuff, I think some of the stuff I write with bands is a little more restricted because it’s tied to a specific sound; that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but with my solo stuff I can pretty much do whatever I want when it comes to song writing and I really like that and I try to take advantage of it whenever I can.

Folk and Punk. How do you describe these words and how much folk is Dylan Disaster or do you feel more punk?
I think each word has specific meanings to specific people, but if we’re talking about sound, then I think I’m a little more on the punk side. I do feel like I’m sometimes too much of a songwriter for the punk rockers and too much of a punk rocker for song writers, but that’s the beauty of it all in my opinion.

Two releases mean a lot of songs. Also, the “Nowherebound-Mourning Glory” has 19 songs. How do you create songs and what is the difference between writing “band songs” and “solo songs”.
I create songs in all different ways, sometimes I’ll have a song title in mind and I’ll write it down and work a song out based on the title, sometimes I’ll hear a vocal melody that could be a verse or chorus and I’ll work around that, sometimes I’ll write a cool guitar riff and I’ll write a song around that, there isn’t really one way for me, but I think that keeps things interesting. Writing songs with a band is obviously a lot more collaborative, which is a lot of fun and can lead to new ideas and unique songs that might not have come up if I was writing by myself. Writing solo songs is usually more personal and I’m usually more attached to those songs, they’re usually the tunes that mean the most to me or represent me the best in the moment that I’m writing.

If we look at your solo record. The new one is called “Remission”. What is the background of this song title. For what do you need a Remission?
I was going through a bit of a rough patch a few years ago and had a real hard time pulling myself out of it, so I started writing songs (as I do), and eventually I wrote the song „Remission“ and it helped pull me out of that spot and it changed my perspective on things, so it felt appropriate to me to use that as the album title.

Also “Long Forgotten Yesterday” is one track which impresses. Which yesterday is forgotten for you and which yesterday should be forgotten in general?
Well, for me, the song isn’t really about a yesterday that has been forgotten so to speak, it’s more about choosing to live today the best you can before it becomes another long forgotten yesterday.

In some Songs like “Can‘t Keep Up” you have a topic of life and loosing control. Is this with an autobiographical background?
It most certainly is. More than losing control though, the song is about giving up and feeling like you can’t keep up with the rest of the world.

In Other songs like “Sun Came Rising” we can hear positive elements, full of hope. How important is it for you seeing that the sun came rising?
I think it’s pretty important to feel hopeful, especially when you’re going through a difficult time. You can catch glimpses of a new horizon here and there when you’re struggling and that little bit of hope can help you get through that dark patch.

One song is called “Halfway Home”. What does “home” mean to you?
I use home as a metaphor (I write in metaphor a lot) for a place of comfort, and by comfort I don’t mean sitting in a lazy boy in a robe and having your feet massaged (although that does sound nice), I mean in regards to life. A place where your life feels comfortable, you’re content, you aren’t pining for the next thing anymore, instead you’re happy to be where you are.

After the record is before… Have you already plans for the near future?
I’m going to be playing out with the full band a lot now. I also have a few dates in Germany and Czech republic booked for a little acoustic run I’m doing at the end of October. I’ve started working on my next record (but it’ll be awhile before anything comes of that) and next year I’m going to be releasing a split 7″ with my friend Brady Black and hopefully we’ll be doing some acoustic tours together as well.

What do the following terms mean to you?
World-Disaster
Bruce Willis

Dylan Disaster
Just some guy with a guitar

Horror Movies?
I’m half way between enjoying horror movies and never wanting to see another one again, haha. As I age they seem to make me feel more and more uncomfortable and I don’t know why I continue to watch them.

Rock n Roll
I feel like those words create a few very different visions in my head. One is „classic“ rock, with bell bottoms, long hair, late 60’s early 70’s. Two would be Chuck Berry. Three is the hair metal age, and the last thought that pops into my head when I hear the term „Rock n‘ Roll“, is The Bronx.

Tough Magazine
I’m new to the experience of Tough Magazine, but you’ve made a fan out of me!

Thank you for the interview. The last words are yours.
Thank you for having me. Travel well, friends! See ya on the road! - Tough Magazine

Songwriter, Tausendsassa,Texaner und Mitglied u.A. von Nowherebound und Buried Cities präsentiert hier nach vier Jahren sein nunmehr zweites Soloalbum. Stilrichtung: Folkpunk, wobei die Bezeichnung größtenteils dem beherzten Einsatz von Akustikgitarren, Piano, Ukulele, Banjos, Mundharmonikas und mitunter sogar Streichern geschuldet ist als der Musik an sich. Dylan öffnet sich mit seiner Altpunkattitüde lediglich ähnlich wie z.B. Veteran Tim Armstrong für Gefälligeres ohne dabei seine Glaubwürdigkeit aufs Spiel zu setzen. Die Themen sind immer noch Punkrock (Außenseitertum, Selbstzerstörung, Hedonismus) aber eben reflektierter und etwas zugänglicher dargeboten, wie man es vergleichsweise in der englischen Variante von TV Smith gewöhnt ist. Allen Songs gemein ist hier wohl die innere Zerrissenheit zwischen Revolte und Resignation und man fühlt sich beim Hören der einzelnen Titel oft auf die eine oder andere Art verbunden mit diesem zornig-schwermütigen Typen aus Amerika. Eindringlich ist wohl das Wort, was diese Platte am besten beschreibt. Und viel Besseres wüsste ich nicht über so eine Platte zu sagen….2+……Kai - Crazy United

Sounding nothing like what his name might suggest, Dylan Disaster is debuting his brand new album Remission. Due out tomorrow, Saturday, August 31st, fans can now stream the recording a day early and get insight into the artist, his music, and this, his sophomore solo release. Remission is a pretty “heavy” album and tackles both personal and complex topics. Take the featured single “Milestone,” for example, a song about losing control and falling into a state of panic, one which could turn into a full-blown anxiety attack. If this is something you’ve ever experienced, you’ll know how unbelievably frightening and gruelling it can be, even more so for those dealing with depression.

Remission is a story in song about ups and downs, heartache and recovery. It’s mainly about hitting the lowest low and then finding the strength to fight your way back. It’s exceptionally musically diverse, hitting on the classics of punk rock with “Sun Came Rising,” a more musically diverse ukelele track in “Restless Heart,” and everything in between. There are songs of woe, traces of nostalgia and the hope of recovery. This is the most focused release yet for Disaster, and the territory it covers is very intentional; the epitome of a “wearing your heart on your sleeve” kind of album. It’s a trait that follows the likes of other punk rock solo artists such as Brian Fallon and Dave Hause, both never strangers to immersing themselves into difficult topics and issues.

Before his career as a solo artist, Disaster traversed the United States, playing in various punk rock bands around the country. It wasn’t until he began working on his own, however, that he found the mental clarity he was seeking. Currently stationed in Austin, his typically stripped-down songs still boast the energy that initially attracted him to playing with other punk rock musicians. Disaster is an intelligent artist who puts thought into everything he does. To further investigate just who Dylan Disaster is, and for more detail about Remission, we punted him some interview questions which are included below.

Let’s start off with a couple of more immersive questions into who Dylan Disaster is and the man behind the music. You played for years in punk rock bands across the U.S. but eventually decided to go solo. What were some of the primary reasons behind this decision?

Dylan Disaster: “Well, to be honest, playing in a band can be pretty tough, especially when it comes to making group decisions, and if I’m being totally real about it, I like things to go a certain way (some people say it’s the Virgo in me). I often found myself pushing harder than some of my bandmates and then being met with resistance when I made decisions for us; which is understandable, but eventually it just became exhausting and I decided it would make more sense to go it alone so I could be my particular self without that resistance getting in the way. Bottom line, doing the solo thing grants me a lot more freedom, especially when it comes to creativity.”

Which somewhat leads into my next question. You were previously known for being a punk rocker and now your sound is more singer-songwriter focused, but still delivered with high energy. What pushed you towards fairly drastically altering your musical focus?

Disaster: “I guess it happened gradually over the last few years. I still like writing those punk rock songs (obviously) but when I became a lead singer instead of just a guitar player, it made me want to focus more on my lyrics, vocals, and melody rather than my fancy guitar work. Plus, I had been a guitar player since I was 12 so I kind of did that thing already and needed to grow as a musician, so I set my guitar aspirations aside to dedicate more of my time to grow as a vocalist/songwriter which in turn changed the way I wrote songs.”


What’s the real story behind the name Dylan Disaster? It’s a damn cool name, especially for a high-energy rocker, but it doesn’t exactly speak highly of you. Tell us more about the motivation behind the name.

Disaster: “It’s not really that exciting of a story, haha. I was in a band when I was living in Los Angeles whose name had the word disaster in it, so we all got ‘Disaster’ names, mine stuck.”

Your new album Remission is your second solo record. While not a concept record per se, I take it that there is a theme underlying the songs in this collection. Tell us a little more about the thematic qualities that can be found in Remission.

Disaster: “I think the most common theme throughout the record is the ebb and flow factor, the highs and lows. When you go through a long bout of depression that lasts for months (or years), you’re bound to hit highs and lows, and when you’re writing songs during that time period it’s pretty likely that those highs and lows will reflect in those songs. So, each song on the record represents where I was while I was going through this thing, some days I was on high and I wrote songs like “Sun Came Rising” or the title track “Remission” and other days I was low and I wrote songs like “Precautionary Tales of Self Destruction” or “Can’t Keep Up”; but ultimately, all of the songs are tied together by the idea that you just need to weather the storm and embrace the thing you’re going through (no matter what it is) until it has passed, and in the end hopefully you’ll have let it change you for the better.”

Your music is very personal and reflective of you as an individual and all of your experiences. What is it like wearing your heart on your sleeve to listeners or people who attend your shows? Do you ever feel intimidated by it?

Disaster: “Yes, it can definitely be intimidating, especially playing solo shows. I’ve always said playing solo acoustic shows is a very vulnerable thing, you’re out there all by yourself, no loud drums or feedback to hide behind, so those who are listening are getting a full dose of who you are, which can definitely be scary, especially considering I don’t share a whole lot about myself outside of my music. But as scary as it can be, it’s equally rewarding because it is a very liberating feeling to be so vulnerable. Not to mention how satisfying it feels to have a room full of people sing your songs with you while it’s just you and an acoustic guitar on stage, it’s kind of untouchable.”

Now that Remission is upon us, what are your goals for the next few months as either a musician or an individual?

Disaster: “Musically, I’m going to be pushing this record and playing shows with the full band (Dylan Disaster and The Revelry) which is exciting because I haven’t fronted a band since the last Buried Cities show in 2017 (except for that Bouncing Souls cover set I did with The Hopeless Bromantics). I’ve also started working on my next record, but that’s going to be a while before there is any real progress on that thing. I also have some side projects I’m excited about. Individually, well, that’s the same as what I’m doing musically because that’s just who I am, haha.” - Pure Grain Audio