Dan Layus's Debut Solo Album DANGEROUS THINGS Out Today

Dangerous Things, the debut solo album from Dan Layus, is available now via Plated Records. The new music is receiving critical acclaim with Rolling Stonehailing Layus as "...one of Americana's most articulate newcomers," while The Boot praises the album's "from-the-heart lyrics with minimalist production" and The Alternate Root furthers it "drifts a dreamy Americana on a western breeze." He also recently performed a feature session for Daytrotter.

To celebrate the new album, Layus will make his Grand Ole Opry debut tonight. Layus also recently made an appearance at this year's AmericanaFest in Nashville. Rolling Stone Country featured him in their "20 Best Things We Saw" roundup, hailing, "The guy's got a killer voice, armed with a Jeff Buckley-sized vibrato that both fills a room and packs a punch,

and he delivers Dangerous Things' stories of first encounters and second chances with conviction. Tapping into the roots-rock vein that's always pumped blood into Augustana's best material, Layus' new direction feels more like natural progression than some rootsy reinvention."

After supporting the Dixie Chicks on select U.S. dates and a recent European headline tour, Layus has confirmed new dates this month with JOHNNYSWIM. See below for details.

Dangerous Things spans influences from Hank Williams to Tom Waits, from Dwight Yoakam to Woody Guthrie. The album was recorded in Nashville at SouthxSea Studios with minimal production. The lyrics are about life's struggles and its simple joys, and harmonies are provided by Muscle Shoals' own The Secret Sisters.

Of the new music, Layus explains, "I always knew this album was out there waiting, I just had to let it come to me. That was the most challenging part of this record. It was three years of repeatedly realizing I was trying too hard to write a perfect song. It all started to make sense and feel good as soon as I stopped treating songwriting like it was songwriting. Somewhere along the way I decided that if an idea was going to turn into a song on this album, then it had to be written organically and purely. It had to be an inspired moment that was unfolding melodically, musically and lyrically, all while making me feel something. Subsequently, that's how I recorded the songs-I played the song live a few times in front of some microphones, and when I felt something real happen, we moved onto the next one. The songs and recordings on this album are inspired by other people's stories and informed by my own experiences, and I've never felt more proud or comfortable sharing an album as I feel with this one."

DANGEROUS THINGS TRACK LISTING

1. Dangerous Things (feat. The Secret Sisters)

2. Driveway

3. Four Rings (feat. The Secret Sisters)

4. You Can Have Mine (feat. The Secret Sisters)

5. Only Gets Darker (feat. The Secret Sisters)

6. Call Me When You Get There

7. Let Me Lose You

8. Fell In Love On A Beach

9. Destroyer

10. Enough For You

11. The Nightbird (feat. The Secret Sisters)

DAN LAYUS LIVE

October 21-Nashville, TN-Grand Ole Opry

October 27-Dallas, TX-House of Blues*

October 28-Austin, TX-Emo's*

October 29-Houston, TX-House of Blues*

November 1-Birmingham, AL-Iron City Birmingham*

November 2-Orlando, FL-The Beacham*

November 3-Tampa, FL-The Ritz Ybor*

*with JOHNNYSWIM