DAVE HAUSE • Bury Me In Philly (Clear Vinyl) • LP

In the present state of the American Dream, Dave Hause is the appointed songwriter. With his third album, he demystifies it, questions it, and gives it new facets through autobiographical lyrics. He simply crafts relevant and good songs from the bleeding heart of the American continent. His performances are not spectacular in the sense of grand gestures; instead, they are socio-romantic songs with pathos and well-crafted arrangements. They draw on elements of Classic Rock, Folk, and "Adult Punkrock," deliberately catchy but without appearing smooth.

Dave Hause reflects on his own origin, born in the industrial city of Philadelphia, and weaves from it an emotionally profound story between hope and failure. In doing so, he evokes the literary influence of John Steinbeck while also expressing admiration for songwriters like Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg, or kindred spirits of The Hold Steady. The album features driving, electric uptempo rock songs, as heard in the first single "With You," as well as ballads and introspective pieces. Hause's strength lies in writing "Blue Collar" songs to perfection and delivering them with a heartwarming voice. Compared to his breakthrough album "Devour," the current work contains less folk and more straightforward rock with clear messages. Within the circle of new, punk-socialized songwriters like Fallon, Ragan, and Votolato, Hause has rightfully arrived.