Jake Dryzal - Untogether

​Jake Dryzal

​Untogether
self-released; 2026

​​​By ​Dino DiMuro​​​

Jake Dryzal is a singer-songwriter from Johnstown, Pennsylvania who's been reviewed here previously under the names Blue Navy (ethereal Lofi) and Great American Racer (ambient pop). His new solo album is called Untogether which he describes as "leaning into more ethereal textures reminiscent of Blue Navy, while some songs include strings with more of a chamber folk sound." Dryzal handled all recording, mixing and mastering, played all instruments and created the artwork.

Skimming his previous reviews, there's mention that some of the Blue Navy tracks were perhaps a bit too LoFi. That's not the case here, as the songs have a clean, airy feel. "Chariot" has a very long, slow fade-in (is this thing on?) but settles into an echo-laden picked guitar tune with a slightly distant, heartfelt vocal. It's a simple, dreamy track that nicely sets the mood. "East Rutherford" drops the heavy echo for a clean, strummed acoustic and a vocal that sometimes feels like David Lowery. The song hints at the complications of a love triangle, with the singer at the bottom looking up. Dryzal's orchestral and chorus patches are quite beautiful and he mixes them well here.

"Lake Michigan" has a similar arrangement and a similar theme in looking back sadly at a troubled relationship. I'm not always sure what Dryzal's singing is as he tends to push one line, then pull back on the next one so that his vocal tone gets lost in the strings. But, he makes sure we hear this couplet: "Look what you've done to us... look what you've done to me." The waters of Lake Michigan crossfade into "To the Park" which is another acoustic-based track paired with a single-note orchestral drone throughout. The chord scheme is a repeated ascending pattern that creates a subtle tension as you wait for resolution that never quite comes. I was reminded of the songwriting of Freedy Johnston. 

"Going Downwards" is a folky tune that looks back at a distant friendship, with the narrator gazing at a boarded-up house: "From the car I hear your favorite song come on / It's a sad one / I remember when we were kids... we were so grateful for what we had / And now it's gone." Dryzal changes things up with a melodic, restrained guitar solo that continues to the end. "Alcohol Is Not an Answer" is a surprisingly earnest track that feels almost like a counseling session for "another life, another soul that's lost." The concluding "Green Eyes" has a stark acoustic guitar tone like John Fahey for a song where our narrator faces the truth about a relationship: "But I can't deny your green eyes / I guess the purity behind them is not what it seems." The sincerity here is Lou Barlow-level.

So, I'm a little torn in that I really liked these songs, but honestly feel like I missed half the benefit because of the orchestral strings and lead vocals becoming a single ball of sound. But clearly there's good stuff here made by a talented artist. 

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jakedryzal.bandcamp.com/album/untogether

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