Jason Lytle

Three years after the breakup of his widely adored space-pop group Grandaddy, singer Jason Lytle has returned with one of the year's best albums, Yours Truly, The Commuter. Lytle showcased the new songs, along with some old Grandaddy favorites, in this full concert, recorded live at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City July 11.

Through the '90s, until the group disbanded in 2006, Grandaddy built a loyal audience by making beautifully orchestrated, neo-psychedelic space-pop. Former frontman Jason Lytle returns this year with his debut solo album, Yours Truly, The Commuter. He showcased some of his new songs for this NPR Music video session.

After 15 years with the band Grandaddy, frontman Jason Lytle packed his bags and moved to big sky country. In Montana, he built a home studio, then spent two years recording his first solo album, Yours Truly, the Commuter.

Three years after the breakup of his widely adored space-pop group Grandaddy, singer Jason Lytle has returned with one of the year's best albums, Yours Truly, The Commuter. Lytle showcased the new songs, along with some old Grandaddy favorites, in this full concert, recorded live at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City July 11.

Given that he's recently weathered the break-up of his band Grandaddy, the termination of his relationship with a fiancee, financial hardship and a battle with drugs and alcohol, it probably shouldn't be surprising that Jason Lytle writes songs about giving up. But in "Birds Encouraged Him," there's still hope amid the suffering.

Lytle's new solo album, his first since Grandaddy disbanded in 2006, doesn't skip a beat: Yours Truly, The Commuter sounds like a Grandaddy record in everything but name. Lytle played and recorded every instrument and sang all the lead vocals and harmonies by himself at his home studio in Montana. Hear the album in its entirety on NPR Music, two weeks before its official release.

Since the 2009 South by Southwest music festival and conference ended a week ago, we've spent much of our time back decompressing and making sense of everything we saw and heard. All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen, Monitor Mix blogger Carrie Brownstein, All Songs Considered producer Robin Hilton and Song of the Day editor Stephen Thompson discovered dozens of new bands, took in more concerts than most people see in a year, and came back with some new favorite artists. On this edition of All Songs Considered we wrap up our SXSW '09 coverage with a final look at some of the most memorable acts.

Through the '90s, until the group disbanded in 2006, Grandaddy built a loyal audience by making beautifully orchestrated, neo-psychedelic space-pop. Former frontman Jason Lytle returns this year with his debut solo album, Yours Truly, The Commuter. He showcased some of his new songs for this NPR Music video session.

On this edition of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen chats with NPR Monitor Mix blogger Carrie Brownstein, producer and Second Stage host Robin Hilton, and Song of the Day editor Stephen Thompson about some of the bands they're most looking forward to seeing at this year's South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex. Hear music from some great unknown bands, like Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned, Passion Pit, and The Weird Weeds, plus Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Mirah, and Ponytail.

Given that he's recently weathered the break-up of his band Grandaddy, the termination of his relationship with a fiancee, financial hardship and a battle with drugs and alcohol, it probably shouldn't be surprising that Jason Lytle writes songs about giving up. But in "Birds Encouraged Him," there's still hope amid the suffering.

Lytle's new solo album, his first since Grandaddy disbanded in 2006, doesn't skip a beat: Yours Truly, The Commuter sounds like a Grandaddy record in everything but name. Lytle played and recorded every instrument and sang all the lead vocals and harmonies by himself at his home studio in Montana. Hear the album in its entirety on NPR Music, two weeks before its official release.

Since the 2009 South by Southwest music festival and conference ended a week ago, we've spent much of our time back decompressing and making sense of everything we saw and heard. All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen, Monitor Mix blogger Carrie Brownstein, All Songs Considered producer Robin Hilton and Song of the Day editor Stephen Thompson discovered dozens of new bands, took in more concerts than most people see in a year, and came back with some new favorite artists. On this edition of All Songs Considered we wrap up our SXSW '09 coverage with a final look at some of the most memorable acts.