Texas native and Nashville based singer/songwriter Ryan Culwell follows-up 2015’s critically acclaimed Flatlands release with his third studio album, The Last American – a meditation on the loss of the American dream. After completing the Flatlands tour, Culwell took time away from music to spend more time with his wife and four daughters, working odd jobs to pay the bills and trying out new material. Enlisting help from friends Ethan Ballinger (guitar/keyboards) and Megan McCormick (guitar/bass/lap steel), Culwell was able to write about half of The Last American before reconnecting with longtime collaborator and producer Neilson Hubbard to help finish things up. The result is a edgier, more raw album than heard on past efforts. Notable tracks include: the catchy road song, “Can You Hear Me”; the poignant title track; the angsty rocker “Dig A Hole”; the working man’s song, “Dog’s Ass”; the gorgeous lullaby “Moon Hangs Down”; and the warmly optimistic closing track, “Tie My Pillow To A Tree.” The Last American captures Culwell at the top of his game as he crafts poignant portraits of ordinary Americans just trying to get by in hard times. – Written by JFelton
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