Jake Dryzal brings the past to life on excellent album, "Untogether"
Like an excavation of the past and finally brought to the ears of so many who are going to fall in love with it, Jake Dryzal has just released an outstanding record.. Untogether is composed of songs written during his teenage years but only now given a proper home. The record arrives not as a retrospective, but as a fully realized piece of work that still feels uncannily present.
From the first moments on “Chariot”, Untogether establishes its sonic identity with quiet confidence. The album leans into a sort of chamber folk aesthetic, drenched in reverb and atmosphere, where acoustic guitars shimmer and every note seems to echo just a little longer than expected. It’s incredibly expansive yet intimate and sucks you into the vibe almost immediately.
The acoustic work is of course a defining feature throughout. Guitars are layered with care, creating a textured, almost cinematic backdrop that gives the album a ton of emotion. There’s a softness to the arrangements, but never a lack of intention. Each strum feels placed with purpose yet there’s still plenty of energy flowing throughout it. You must at least check out “To the Park”, but we really do think he’s created an album experience, something that’s meant to be listened to untouched from start to finish.
At the center of it all is Jake’s vocal performance, which threads the needle between presence and subtlety. His voice often sits nestled within the mix, blending into the instrumentation in a way that feels immersive. Yet when the moment calls for it, he allows it to rise, revealing a range that adds dimension. The warmth in his voice is hard to describe, but it’s very much inviting the whole way through.
The overall tone of Untogether is undeniably somber, but not in a way that feels heavy or overwhelming. Instead, it carries a reflective quality, kind of allowing you to take your time with it and sink in. It’s surely a year round listener, but the thought of curling up by a fire in the late Fall or early Winter would make it even more divine.
There’s this unifying atmosphere that ties everything together, making it easy to forget that these songs were written at different points in time. Instead, they exist here as a singular statement, one that feels both deeply resonant. We’ve reviewed his past work as Great American Racer, but this feels so much more personal.
Where immediacy often takes precedence with catchy hooks or gimmicks, Jake Dryzal offers something slower and much more deliberate. We urge everyone out there to give it a spin in full, so please do so by clicking those links below and make sure to follow along for more as well.
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