Do yourself a favor and meet American singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Brad Gerke, who has just released his debut album Autofocus under the moniker of No Yonder. In his youth, his tastes evolved from alternative rock – he wanted to be the next Weezer or Foo Fighters – to folk and country – could he become a new Justin Townes Earle or Johnny Cash? – and he even had a latent emo-revival phase. You can hear those rock, country, and emo influences in his music, and although he wrote all the songs here himself, and takes care of vocals, guitar, and keys, the LP really is a band effort, with Tyler Key (electric guitar, pedal steel, keys), Ryan Moore (drums), Garrett Hibbs (bass), and Annie Leeth (violin). Most of the tracks deal with having high expectations for yourself and automatically doing what you feel you are supposed to do, about goals and dreams that don’t come to fruition in reality – stories from a state of autofocus, hence the album title. However, these ten songs don’t sound like they were made on autopilot, because the musicians deliver top quality work, the lyrics are intelligent, the lead vocals are captivating, and the backing vocals invite you to sing along.

Brad Gerke mirrors himself to bands like The Mountain Goats, Bright Eyes, and Wilco, and I wouldn’t be surprised if No Yonder also will become a big name in the folk-rock genre. This is a great discovery, with a beautiful debut album. Listen to standout tracks Dale Loses a Grand Tour – derived from the phrase “Delusions of Grandeur” – and Slow Poisoning.

“So who was I // To try and defy // The precepts of the powerful and wise // With glass held high // And my spirit running dry // I’ll make one final toast to my demise”

“You’re an open book with torn out pages // So I guess I could never read you anyway”

Autofocus is out now digitally. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp