Now this is purely anecdotal, but it seems like there’s an awful lot of traffic between Austin and New York. Must be something about a cross-metropolitan cultural exchange between the Big Apple and the Live Music Capital…Whatever the weather, one peripheral instance of that migration pattern graciously gifted us singer-guitarist Michael Paul Lawson. Lawson’s parents split up in his infancy, which provided a calm climate in Central New York but a sense of adventure during trips to Austin. After a rousing post-graduation respite in Virginia, Lawson decided to record his 2019 debut Some Fights You’ll Never Win down here in ATX, where he’s since immersed himself in our alt-country/Americana scene.

True to its title, Michael Paul Lawson’s upcoming sophomore full-length Love Songs For Loners leans on character-driven narratives and classic country conventions. That said the eight-track still packs a palette of dusky folk, even including a tip of the hat to late legends John Prine and Justin Townes Earle. Love Songs For Loners comes out on October 7th, and if you need some company between now and then, catch Michael Paul Lawson 7PM next Tuesday for a free concert at Meanwhile Brewing. Feel free to mingle with new and old fans alike; you may even meet a fellow loner like the cigarette lover depicted in today’s laid-back country-rocker, “Lucille”.