Dan Andriano & The Bygones – Dear Darkness [LP]

Looking at Dan Andrianos catalog, one might assume that makingnew music is old hat for the veteran vocalist, songwriter, bassist andprimary member of the beloved Chicago punk outfit Alkaline Trio.Decades into his prolific career, though, Andriano is just as in lovewith the process as he was in those early days of sweaty clubs andcramped vans.

On Andrianos new Epitaph Records album, Dear Darkness, that unceasing passion is evident on this solo, self-produced project, whichfollows his 2015 release (as Dan Andriano in the Emergency Room)Party Adjacent, finds Andriano venturing into deeply personal lyricalterritory while also pushing the limits of just what his unclassifiablesound can be.

While off the road in 2020, Dan Andriano amassed a sizable collection of ideas, including a small batch of songs he felt were ready tobring into the studio. He sent a handful of those tracks out to closefriends and trusted collaborators and was particul