Ed Dupas

An interesting and rewarding debut album from Texas-born singer songwriter Ed Dupas. The songs pick up on social issues (especially the fine opener A Good American Life) but also the problems of love and loss. His songwriting is strong and his vocal delivery good. Whiskey Bones is one of the highlights but listen out for how well he gels with backing vocalist Tara Cleveland on the maudlin With Love You Never Know. ★★★★☆ - The Telegraph

Born in Texas, raised in Winnipeg, and now living in the Detroit area, Ed Dupas (pronounced doo-PAH) is one helluva a storyteller with a voice born from a life of hurt, work, and carousing bars. Many, if not most, of the songs on this album are quite straightforward blue-collar country-folk songs that could or should have come from the pens of Springsteen, Kristofferson, or more recently Sturgill Simpson. But the title track, "A Good American Life" stands out head and shoulders above absolutely everything else. Lashed full of irony, the song is akin to "Born in the USA" -- at first it sounds like a rabble-rouser but after repeated listening you finally hear that the words come from deep in the heart of the liberal left, which is a very good thing in my book.

On songs like "Home in Time," you can easily picture Dupas huddled over his guitar with eyes tightly closed, as he squeezes and spits out the poetic words like they were his dying breaths. It really is a tragically beautiful song. Small towns and big love are the central theme here, with "Until Blue Comes ‘Round" and "You Don’t Get to Explain" both subtly brittle love songs of hurt and regret. It's easy to imagine they were written after a long night drinking tequila and listening to old Willie Nelson LPs.

In the same vein as the title track, "Flag" could confuse a stupid person. But again, if you listen properly you will hear a song about a young man who loves his country and goes to war and doesn’t come back. It's quite extraordinary in it’s own way. The album closes with someone offering Dupas a drink before he records "Without You." I don’t know what effect the liquid had on him, but the end result is a love song that will melt a heart of stone.

For a debut album, A Good American Life is truly excellent and will be a welcome inclusion to the libraries of music fans the world over. If you were carelessly thumbing through the racks in a record shop and stumbled on this album, the cover could and should catch your eye. Take it from me that the sepia-tinted picture of a small town in the Midwest with photo-shopped scratches proves you really can judge an album by the cover. - No Depression

The hardworking everyman has a new hero, and his name is Ed Dupas.

A Good American Life, independently released on compact disc on May 28, is a full-length collection of songs written by Ed Dupas and performed by Ed Dupas with Rob Avsharian on drums (Andy Timmons Band), John Connors on bass (The Verve Pipe), Drew Howard on pedal steel (Jill Jack, Drew Nelson), Craig Griffith (The Verve Pipe) on harmonica, and Tara Cleveland singing background vocals.

Ed Dupas (pronounced “doo-PAH”) is an emerging singer/songwriter from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Having grown up in Texas and Winnipeg, and setting up shop in Ann Arbor, Ed’s music is a combination of folk, country, and Americana, and like those traditional styles, bends toward the experiences of the working class, its struggles, its values, it’s hopes, and it’s disappointments.

Ed is the sort of man who’s playing style and easy affability fits nicely around a late night campfire. Ed has played music for most of his life, cutting his teeth in pubs and open mics for several years. He naturally began writing and performing his own material along the way, showcasing his work around the Detroit, Michigan area.

Ed eventually began performing with regional and national artists, including Chris Knight, Josh Rose, Michael Crittenden, and Troll for Trout. In 2015, Ed recorded his debut album, A Good American Life. The album was produced by Michael Crittenden (Drew Nelson and Josh Rose), and was mastered in Athens, Georgia by John Keane (R.E.M., Cowboy Junkies, Robert Earl Keen, Nanci Griffith, Uncle Tupelo).

The album’s 12 tracks cover topics near and dear; the title track sums up the mood and wit of the album’s content. It is indeed a good American life, with an asterisk, of course.

EdDupas-AGoodAmericanLife-AlbumArtworkFrom “pool halls” to “pawn shops”, to the fields outside of the towns where once industry thrived, Ed weaves a tapestry both personal and universally American in scope.

In “Flag” images both traditionally patriotic and wistfully longing for a closure to contemporary national ills blend seamlessly. “Home in Time” adds a personal touch to the ramifications of a country torn by war and an ailing economy that separates loved ones by not only miles, but circumstances.

In “Whiskey Bones” the theme continues with an added hopefulness that companionship and empathy can be just as uplifting as relief to one’s economic circumstances.

Other songs, such as “Remember My Love,” “This Old Town,” “Train,” “Too Late Now,” and “Until Blue Comes Around,” get downright specific about what is at the heart of working-class life in the early 21st century; gone are the naked politics of the protest songs of yore. There are no simple solutions. These days, we are all on our own, and we need one another more than anything else, perhaps even more than we need a paycheck.

Sonically, the album consistently retains a dusky hue, reminiscent of Nebraska-era Springsteen or early Red House Painters. Ed’s music is essentially acoustic at its core; the recordings include some accompaniment complete with flourishes of overdriven, midwestern guitar shapes and pedal steel over top spare and sure drumming, while the occasional harmonica embellishes the quintessentially American folk sense of these tunes. Ed’s baritone vocals retain an easy, warm, and melodic tone, his lyrics refreshingly well articulated with just a touch of sardonic wit beneath the heartfelt and at times aching delivery.

Ed Dupas is certainly an up and comer worth keeping an eye on. This debut album is equal parts folk and contemporary country, equally patriotic and anti-establishment, with just the right amount of sensibility and honesty; it is proudly midwestern in every way, and a welcome addition to any acoustic music collection, or road trip. - The National Country Review

Ed Dupas is a singer songwriter based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A self-described searcher and thinker, Ed writes songs that examine life, love, and loss, while also exploring societal themes through the voice of the everyman. His music is a blend of folk, country, and Americana –you’ll find Ed most at ease playing solo with just an acoustic guitar. Often compared to Steve Earle, Ed’s musical influences include Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Richard Shindell and Ryan Adams among others.

Tell us about yourselves and what you do?

I’m a guy in flux. For years I’ve made my living outside of music, moonlighting with acoustic cover gigs and writing songs for my own enjoyment. About 18 months ago something “clicked” with me and I felt that I’d taken a step forward with the songs I was writing. Songs were coming to me easily and felt more comfortable—as if inhabiting them had become natural. I began playing the open mic circuit around Detroit which led to some opportunities fairly quickly, and before I knew it I was heading into the studio to record my first album. It all happened quite fast, 11 of the 12 songs on the record were written in the 10 months leading up to the start of recording, with Whiskey Bones being the lone throwback at an age of two years. Just like that I’ve got an album out and I’m trying to learn a few things about supporting it. Yeah, I’m a guy in flux.

How did you start out?

I started out in my bedroom with one of my father’s electric guitars and a book of three chord songs. My parents are musical, as is much of my family, so as kids we were surrounded by great songs from the beginning. As I grew up my Mom and Dad tried to entice me into taking up the guitar on many occasions, but it wasn’t something I was interested in. Then on a sunny day at about the age of 14 I just picked the thing up for no particular reason and started learning chords. I remember being excited to show my Dad and waiting for him to arrive home from the workday. When he walked through the door I showed him what I’d learned but be wasn’t overly impressed. I guess he thought I’d follow through with the guitar about as well as I did with other things. Perhaps his reaction fueled my interest, I’m not sure, but the guitar and I quickly became inseparable after that.

What is your current release?

My current (debut) release is A Good American Life. It was recorded at Mackinaw Harvest Studios in Grand Rapids, MI, and produced by Michael Crittenden. I was excited to work with Michael (better known as “The Colonel”) for many reasons. He has a gift for finding and amplifying the little things that uniquely identify each artist he works with. His approach to production isn’t aimed at making an artist sound like someone else, but fully exploring what makes that artist unique and letting those things drive production. What he does is a gift, I don’t think it can be taught. Those instincts were critical as the album was largely tracked live—The Colonel was able to hear small things that made a big difference to the finished product.

What is the best part of being in a singer/song writer?

The Mystery. I seem to feature as co-writer on the majority of songs I write, or at least that’s how it feels to me. Of course it’s just me in the room when writing, but the process is somewhat hypnotic and leaves me thinking “sure, I was involved, but in a semi-hijacked state.” When a few hours have passed I won’t remember a thing about the new tune, so I have to make sure and record whatever I come up with. I’ve gotten better at recognizing and participating in the process in the last year-and-a-half. At this point I’ve simply accepted that there’s a feeling I get in my chest and when I do it means a song is waiting. Then it’s a matter of finding a guitar and some privacy before the inspiration dissipates. It’s a funny process because I don’t generally know what a song will be about when I start writing it, I just know that a song has “arrived.” It’s truly mysterious, and I love a good mystery.

What is your most significant moment yet?

I got a chance to open for Chris Knight last year; that was pretty significant to me. I’d only recently started playing open mics, but after a few times out someone suggested I attend a songwriter retreat in northern Michigan. I tend to be pretty open to following up on random suggestions people make, especially strangers who feel compelled to walk up and offer insight or advice. The romantic in me feels like it’s fate tugging at my shirt sleeve, so I’m obliged to follow. At the songwriters retreat I was asked to play a couple of songs for the attendees. After, I was approached by a guy who’d recently booked Chris Knight and was looking for an opener. A few weeks later I was on stage opening for a guy who was clearly put on this Earth to make music – very cool. Playing that show and talking to the crowd afterwards was my biggest motivator in deciding to finally make a record so, yeah, I’d say that was my most significant moment yet.

What are your biggest musical influences?

My biggest influences (in no particular order) are Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams, Townes Van Zandt, Neil Young, and Richard Shindell. I’m a lover of songs about change, heartbreak, and the open road, also, I’m drawn to players who flirt with country music without fully committing. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell. Folks have been recommending Jason Isbell to me for a while now and I just haven’t gotten what all the fuss was about. Well, about a month ago I “got it” and now I’m listening to more and more of his stuff. I suspect he’ll be influencing the songs I write moving forward.

What venue/gig do you most want to play?

My hometown of Ann Arbor has a folk club called The Ark, and although it’s not akin to playing Carnegie Hall or anything, that’s the gig I really want to play. I’ve been going to The Ark since college and have likely attended 50 shows there. At the time, I didn’t have the slightest thought of taking on music myself, but now I find myself thinking how surreal it’d be to return as the performer on that Stage. I want to play The Ark not because it’s a great musical accomplishment (although not bad, actually) but because it feels like coming full circle in some way.

What is your best/favourite song you have written?

My favorite song is A Good American Life. It was written in about an hour while driving into work one morning. The inspiration came from an off-hand comment I made to a woman working the register at a grocery store I’d stopped into. After our conversation the song just appeared. It was written as quickly as anything I’ve done. Looking back I find it strange that the smallest of interactions with someone I didn’t even know could be the catalyst for not only writing a decent song, but the title of the entire record.

What is your favourite album of this year?

It’s a quirky answer I suppose since the album hasn’t actually released yet, but July 28th Daniel Romano’s new album, If I've Only One Time Askin', will be released and, although I’ve not heard it yet, that’s my favorite album of the year. The only album that could possibly compete with that one is the 2nd record he’s releasing later this winter, Mosey. That dude is old school. I can’t get enough of him.

What does the next six months have in store for you?

When I finished tracking the album--which in retrospect was the easiest step in the process--I found that all my free time was spent dealing with the non-musical aspects of releasing a record: copyrights, PROs, artwork, etc. My writing was profoundly affected by this as I went from writing songs constantly to not writing one for months on end. With the album out about a month now, I’m finding things are settling down a little and the writing is picking up again. This is going to be an important part of the next six months for me personally. That said, my true focus will be booking shows and getting the music out there. When it comes right down to it I’m a guy who’s songs have quite literally emerged from the basement and into the light of day. If I want people to hear them I’ve got to be out there playing, a lot. Sounds like fun, or at least my kind of work.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

I know where I’d like to be in ten years, and that’s in any position that allows me to dedicate myself to music and writing full-time. However, in today’s music industry that’s easier said than done of course. I value intimate music settings and I consider it a privilege to play to an audience with just a guitar--there’s a magic in that to me. I’ll be happy if in ten years I’ve managed to evolve my writing and performing while maintaining authenticity and not losing a sense of reverence for that connection with the listener.

What is the best thing about Americana-UK?

The best thing about Americana-UK is that it’s a one stop shop for the latest news on established artists I love and up and coming artists that I’m someday going to love. They walk the line between covering the top acts in the genre and staying true to the roots of Americana. The promise of Americana, to me, is that anyone, anywhere, with a decent guitar and something to say can make an impact, in fact they’re expected to. The next big Americana act isn’t going to be manufactured like a boy-band, it’s going to scratch its way up from nothing. Americana-UK gets this. I dig that. - Americana-UK

A Good American Life is Ed Dupas' debut album after time spent honing his songs on the live circuit. Producer Michael Crittenden (Drew Nelson) and mastering engineer John Keane (R.E.M, Cowboy Junkies) have done a great job in enabling Ed's emotive voice and sensitive playing to shine through. The songs explore narratives about a simpler life, nostalgic visions of the past, drinking, lost loves, travel, the absurdity of war, patriotism to name but a few. They generally work best when stripped back, though Dupas has gathered some great musicians around him for this album.

It is hard to tell sometimes whether Dupas is serious or poking fun at the American Dream. Songs such as the opening title track and "Flag" suggest a degree of bitterness at the price individuals and families are paying through US global engagement, with references to the boys in Afghanistan for example. From a good selection, some tracks stand out, like "Home in Time" where Dupas' storytelling and terrific vocal delivery is combined with some standout guitar picking. He comes across as sincere when he sings "I came this far to get you off my mind, now I hope that I can make it home in time".

Much of the album is low key relying on Ed's voice and lyrics to carry the work. It is a big ask across a whole album though and it would have been nice to see a lighter side occasionally, something more uptempo. "Remember My Love" comes close, with a Tom Petty'ish and radio-friendly feel to it. Overall the songs, if not highly original in breaking new ground are very well executed and easy on the ear. The lyrics and fine vocals raise it above the average and its a mellow and heartfelt journey for the listener. - Americana-UK

Ann Arbor, Michigan resident Ed Dupas has the North American blood running through his veins. Born in Texas but spending much of his childhood in Winnipeg, Canada with family, he returned to the States during his teenage years. Settling in Detroit for a number of years, he spent a while performing acoustic cover songs in bars, but his friends encouraged him to write more and perform his own material. Soon open mics turned to opening for the likes of Chris Knight, Josh Rose, Michael Crittenden, and Troll For Trout, and in 2015 Ed recorded his debut album ‘A Good American Life’ (due August 28). It’s fair to assume from his roots, and from the title of his record, that Ed is a patriot. His music, too, is rooted in Heartland country rock, Americana and the simple stories of American people, while his influences range from Steve Earle to Neil Young, Bob Dylan to Townes Van Zandt, and Richard Shindell to Ryan Adams. Ed Dupas is arguably the archetypal poster boy for the ordinary, blue collar American.

But far from tapping into the blue collar drinking and party songs often recorded by his peers further into the country sphere, Ed’s songs are thoughtful, balanced depictions of all aspects of life. On ‘Remember My Love’, for example, he reminds a lover who has left that she will miss the love he gave her, and that while he will “find a way to forget you”, she will “think we’re done, but you’ll remember my love in the long run.” Elsewhere, more relationship tales unravel before us, from ‘Home In Time’, to ‘Until The Blue Comes Round’, and ‘With Love You Never Know’, swinging from loneliness to the warmth of human contact, to the very nature of love itself. Grounded in simple acoustic guitar strumming and picking, Ed’s lyrics are on stark display, his rough but heartfelt vocals guiding us through moments of despair, passion and mumbling regret. ‘You Don’t Get To Explain’ is one of the latter tracks, admitting grave mistakes in hurting a loved one repeatedly while follow-up ‘Too Late Now’ takes the same situation from the opposite perspective. “You walked away just like each one before, yeah you broke my heart just in case you’re keeping score.” He sings woefully. “You’re gone from me and I can’t forget your name.”

But Ed has a lot more to say as the voice of the Silent Majority than emotional explorations of love and loss. Although a proud American, he has more than his fair share of criticisms for the current way of life, and I’m sure he’s not alone. The title track (and opening number) begins with the line, “I wake up in the morning, the alarm clock tells me when, pour a cup of coffee and hit the road again. Find the nearest freeway, yeah I got places to be, sounds like a good American life to me.” However, this celebration of ordinary routine is marred by subtle changes in tone throughout. “Time to make some money, time to pay some bills,” he asserts when talking about his job. “Cause they’re charging me for things that I used to get for free, sounds like a good American life to me.” Soon the hook becomes semi-sarcastic, surrounded by phrases like, “Just trying to catch my breath so I can tell myself I’m free,” and “They’ve got families and loved ones, the kids they ain’t never seen,” when referencing soldiers serving their country.
However, this narrative continues on ‘Flag’. Musing on the American flag and US patriotism as he sets various scenes where the flag is waving high, lines like “The flag waves high when the tax man comes, he says you gotta pay just to be someone, yeah it’ll cost you plenty if you wanna stay,” really send a message that Ed is unhappy with the way things have become in his home country. Again the hook line (“red white and blue, till your dying day”) becomes steeped in sarcasm, as he details problems with austerity, enforced authority, and wars that have caused the deaths of countless soldiers. Still, he notes, we continue to salute the flag and celebrate our country, despite the way in which it’s screwing us over.

‘This Old Town’, meanwhile, follows the narrative of a town that has become mostly abandoned and fallen into disrepair, another casualty of shifting American economy and lifestyle. “There ain’t nothing left but a dream here in this old town,” he sings sadly, adding another layer and angle to proceedings when he warns people of the control the government and connected forces have over the population on ‘Train’. “We’re beggars of our own demise.”

Still, none of these tracks come off preachy, and that’s really the magic of Ed’s platform here. He doesn’t get angry or wave his metaphorical guns around, he just states calmly and eloquently the issues arising in society, snuggled between more personal stories of emotional strife. All in all, ‘A Good American Life’ is an album designed to make you think, to make you happy, to make you sad, and fill your heart. Simple, minimalistic, but with some flights of instrumental fancy to push more of a country rock sound, Ed has crafted a record that his heroes would be proud of. A true American man with a nuanced American record. Can’t ask for more than that. - For the Country Record

Certain songwriters encompass all there is to hear about personal experiences, places they’ve lived and what life feels like to them, then when you listen to their music it seems to sum up some of your own feelings and encounters. Ed Dupas has with his debut album, ‘A Good American Life’ done all that and more. A man cast in the mould of the great American blue-collar troubadours, taking the essences of folk, country and rock, Dupas has turned out songs that could come from nowhere other than the spirit of Americana.ed-dupas-a-good-american-life-cover

Dark nights, deep sunsets, cold dawns, dry days, sad reflections, uncertain regrets and hopeful expectations are revealed through ‘A Good American Life’. The vocals move from mournful, through triumphant to consoling. The title track has all the drive and authority that its subject demands, ‘Remember My Love’ continues the theme, ‘This Old Town’ maps the decay of a hometown dream, while ‘Flag’ shows the price of sacrifice. There’s not a track on this album that doesn’t hold its own special place, subjective or wide-ranging, contemplative or mercurial. Listen to ‘Whiskey Bones’, the harrowing ‘You Don’t Get To Explain’ and the brutally frank tale of ‘Too Late Now’ and you’ll understand. This will become a seminal piece of Americana.

Ed Dupas handles acoustic guitar, electric guitar and vocals on ‘A Good American Life’, which also features Michael Crittenden (electric and acoustic guitar, organ, piano, harmonica, background vocals) Rob Avsharian (drums) John Connors (bass) Drew Howard (pedal steel) Craig Griffith (harmonica) and Tara Cleveland (background vocals).

Review: Tim Carroll - FolkWords

Dupas is a heartland troubadour who recorded this album in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was produced by Michael Crittenden, who also plays guitar on the album. Crittenden is part of a solid, satisfying band with pedal steel and keyboards adding to the mid-western sound. The album was mixed by John Keene, noted for his work with R.E.M. and others. It takes the basic of Dupas’ guitar songs and adds layers of blue collar attitude to these song of hard life and heartache; themes that would be familiar to fans of Mellencamp, Springsteen, Earle and others who explore the dark hues of the urban/rural divide.

Dupas has a warm baritone voice that has presence and personality. The twelve songs are all written by Dupas, with Crittenden co-writing With Love You Never Know. Although Texas born, Dupas lives in Michigan and has been playing music since his teens. This is his debut album and it is a good start that shows his potential and ability. He takes his observations and understanding of everyday lives and put them into songs like the title song, Whiskey Bones, Home in Time, This Old Town and Until Blue Comes Around, songs that explore emotion and the everyday, everyman experience.

There a sense of irony in A Good American Life that contrasts what that could be and what it actually is. Flag is another song that seems to espouse an attitude, but highlights the flag as central to different feelings and different reasons for its use. Train takes you on a journey “where there ain’t no coming back” - we run on life’s rails. You Don’t Get to Explain details the way that one person’s mistakes often have lasting effects on others. The album’s final statement is one that declares our physical need for love. Without You is an acoustic song that asks for understanding while considering the unthinkable.

There are a number of artists whose records I could easily file along side this, artists such as Chris Knight. This kind of music is not about changing the rules, it is more about delivering an honest statement of how one sees life from a particular viewpoint. In that light, Ed Dupas’ songs are truthful and delivered with a real emotion that rings true; made not for profit, but for merit. These songs have muscle and grit and the playing throughout is full of nuances that underline the songs’ storylines. Dupas should be considered as a worthy addition to those troubadours of truth and decay whose songs both resonate and reward. - Lonesome Highway

Commitment is in the vocal of Ed Dupas on “Too Late Now”, and the force of his words move on up without losing the beat of its heart while traveling on acoustic strums into equally determined rock jangle and power chords. Ed Dupas is the singer/songwriter, using the lives of those around him as he reads from today’s headlines of economy dips, struggling to ‘try to catch my breath so I can tell myself I’m free”, and maintains a musical integrity that maintains the honesty of classic Roots Rock. The searcher and thinker in Ed Dupas guides the stories that are the citizens of A Good American Life, his most recent release. Memories roll like tumbleweeds on the storm blown breeze of “This Old Town”, Country rock’n’roll rattles “Whiskey Bones”, whispers spin the color wheel of “Until Blue Comes ‘Round”), and stark Folk supports the clearly pain held in the bare-light bulb truths of “You Don’t Get to Explain”. - The Alternate Root

Texas born Americana artist Ed Dupas has a long history with playing music, having spent many years partaking in acoustic cover sets. It’s only in more recent times that he began to embrace writing his own material though. The decision to do so came about at the behest of friends and fellow musicians, ultimately leading to the creation of his forthcoming debut album, A Good American Life.

The twelve track compilation gets going with its eponymous effort, which showcases a gentle riff behind a rich refrain. Picking up the pace as it progresses, it’s a soft and stirring opening number with a strong country/folk flavour. “Remember My Love” features a warm and emotional instrumental introduction afterwards ahead of another pleasant melody. The enthusiastic guitars and purposeful percussion lend it a vibe more akin to acoustic rock.

“This Old Town” emerges from its wake upon a solemn riff that plays out subtly alongside mellow vocals. This is before the beat raises the tempo while remaining restrained. It all amounts to a peaceful and moving entry that bears a soothing ambiance. “Flag” follows as another reserved undertaking whose affecting atmosphere washes over the senses to provide a relaxing listening experience.

The fast and fervent acoustic riff of “Home in Time” excites on the way into a resonant melody. It’s a lot simpler than its predecessors, but its spirited execution means that it also ends up being a lot more powerful. Its slow and lackadaisical successor, “Until the Blues Come ‘Round”, crawls forward at a snail’s pace, yet manages to convey a great deal of feeling and expression.

Lamenting lyrics resound across amiable instrumentation as “With Love You Never Know” heads towards a heartfelt and optimistic chorus. There’s a very tranquil tone throughout, which results in a touching country/folk ballad. “Whiskey Bones” taps out of its aftermath into a lively display of guitars and drums before a solemn and sincere harmony takes off. A well coordinated duet soon grabs the spotlight to captivate during the chorus. It all eventually culminates in an arresting instrumental salvo ahead of a final volley of serene vocals.

“Train” is a placid but affective addition that builds continuously and thrills as it periodically erupts with vigorous vocals and bracing guitars. “You Don’t Get to Explain” distinguishes itself as a poignant and forceful composition next, despite its delicate demeanor. This is soon superseded by the optimistic riff of “Too Late Now”, which skips along merrily beside a reflective melody. Its instrumentation grows consistently as it unfolds, developing quite an intensity. Things calm back down then for “Without You”, the introspective and thoughtful nature of which make it a somber and sedate finale.

While there is an unmistakable country flair prevalent throughout the record, it shouldn’t discourage those who are not fans of the genre. The material Dupas has put together here is really as much soft rock as it is anything else. Each of its entries rest easy on the ears and exhibit an inoffensive style that carries a fair amount of accessibility. Keep an eye out for A Good American Life when it hits Ireland and the UK on August 28th. - Pure M Magazine

Blending folk, country and Americana there’s clear linkages in his music through Dylan, James Taylor, Don McLean, The Boss, and more recently Ray LaMontagne. And such is the aplomb with which it’s delivered, it’s something of surprise to learn it’s is his debut.

Produced by Michael Crittenden (Drew Nelson) who also contributed on guitars, keys and backing vocals, and supported by Rob Avsharian on drums (Andy Timmons Band), John Connors on bass (formerly of The Verve Pipe), Drew Howard on pedal steel (Jill Jack, Drew Nelson), Craig Griffith on harmonica, and Tara Cleveland on backing vocals, (The Verve Pipe) there’s a country vibe to proceedings that’s accentuated by Dupas’s prairie drawl vocals and the underpinning pedal steel work.

Learning his trade performing acoustic cover versions throughout the Detroit area over the last decade, it’s only relatively recently that Dupas has had the confidence to write and perform his own material, with all but one of the songs on the album written in 10 months leading up to the making of the album.

A Good American Life is a good American record and well worth checking out if the male singer songwriter genre is of appeal. - Get Ready to Rock

I don’t love country music, but this guy listens to my podcast and sent me an mp3 of this song cause he thought I might dig it. He was right. It’s got the twangy guitars and whiskey voice, but listen to the words. It’s verging on Springsteen. Plus, there’s something very poignant about a critical look at American foreign policy with a country twang. - The Atlantic

Ed Dupas’ debut album A Good American Life took us not just by surprise but by the throat in 2015, such was the power and beauty of his songs; and it’s been far too a long a wait for the follow up.
Pretty much recorded ‘live’ over three days in a studio in the middle of a Michigan heatwave, that claustrophobic and often baking hot feeling comes across from start to finish.
Now with a band and a Telecaster in tow opening track Too Big To Fail kick starts the album like turning the key in a ’69 Camero. Punchy? Feisty? Articulate? Plus some searing guitar and a band fuelled on adrenaline and coffee are a perfect combination around these here parts.
It’s all too easy to compare Ed’s road worn voice and writing style with early Steve Earle and even earlier Bruce; but remember those guys haven’t lived this life for 20 or 30 years…..and Dupas is living and writing about the small town feelings of Heading Home Again and Two Wrongs NOW and from the heart too; and he makes it sound as crunchy and complicated as it ever did…..so he probably sits more nearer to Sturgill Simpson and Sam Outlaw than those elder statesmen.
I love the hot red-brick Country sound of Promised Land and Anthem; especially the socio-political sentiments of the latter which proves even a ‘Good Ole Boy’ can be a Liberal too.
I’ve played this album at morning, noon and night….in the living-room, the office and of course in the car and it works well in every scenario; so I don’t really know where to start in picking a favourite track.
The lovely swinging duet with Cole Hanson on Everything In Bloom is obviously a contender; as is the tightly wrapped and sultry title track Tennessee Night; but my heart must go for the darkly simple delights of …..Do It For Me. I say ‘simple’ because that’s how it sounds at first; but listen again and again and it unfolds line after line; revealing more and more each play.
What more can I say? This is Americana Music, Country Music, Ameripolitan and/or Alt. Country…..whatever you want to call it; it’s a keeper.
Released July 28th 2017 - The Rocking Magpie

“Sometimes the best that you can do / is hold on to the deepest part of you.” Michigan-based singer-songwriter Ed Dupas follows up his well-received 2015 Americana debut, A Good American Life, with an album that with subtle use of light and shade reveals the still vivid bruises of love gone wrong in a world gone mad.
If his debut had sceptical political overtones, not least characterised by the ironic title track, these 11 tracks tease out more personal turmoil, as on Do It For Me or the closing Hold Me Tight, both intense and understated. The politics are less overt. Promised Land reflects a sense of disillusion while the raucous opener Too Big to Fail makes his position clear: “We see it growing darker every day.”
Dupas may walk in the footsteps of Steve Earle but he is gradually finding his own way. - The Irish Times

This is a highly satisfying slice of blue collar Americana, with grit and grace in just the right ratio. Dupas may be from the home of the Stooges and MC5, but instead he chooses to kick out the classic Steve Earle-esque jams in a contemporary manner not too dissimilar to the likes of Sturgill Simpson. Even the album’s title guides us to points South, as Ed pays respect to the Volunteer State.

Opener Too Big To Fail jumps in with crunchy Telecaster chords. It’s a slice of classic driving Americana – an underdog’s call to change the oppressive system we live in, a song which yearns to burst out of the speakers on a battered pickup truck. Headin’ Home Again is softer in tone and self-explanatory by title. Broken hearts, abandoned railroads, epic road trips, cheap motels, car plants and a better future – classic Americana fayre from the Springsteen playbook played out over eleven tracks. However, Dupas retells it with gutsy aplomb. He’s at his most compelling when he kicks a little harder, as on the (anthemic) Anthem, though the studio band paints appealingly gentler shades in the quieter songs such as Everything Is In Bloom – a happy /sad harmonising duet with Cole Hanson. As you’d expect, the contributing musicians fill out Dupas’s songs with piano, pedal steel, banjo and organ with the requisite force and flavour. Call it garage country, for want of a better name. Ed Dupas delivers his version of working man’s blues to great effect.

Summary: Little in the way of fuss or frills. Just stone cold classy Americana.

8/10 - Americana-UK

After his outstanding debut “American Life” in 2015, this must be that difficult second album for Ed Dupas. However difficult its conception (and it sounds like there were a few painful moments), the end result is a fulfilling follow-up to his debut. It’s a progression of course; at times Ed puts his acoustic to one side to add a second over-driven electric to the guitar attack, creating a big widescreen sound that brings to mind early Bruce Hornsby and maybe even “Darkness”-era Springsteen.
And that’s the way the album opens; “Too Big to Fail” is a rocker packed with big, loud guitars delivering Ed’s perfectly crafted song. His lyrics are clever and subtle, combining the “too big to fail” business/sports franchise mantra with subtle allusions to the state of contemporary America; it doesn’t matter how bad things are, ‘love’s too big to fail’. I really hope so. The album’s second song, “Two Wrongs”, continues the two guitar attack with lyrics seamlessly interweaving the increasing isolation of rural America with a short-term, unwise, dalliance; real life might look simple on the surface, but it’s usually messy underneath.
The remainder of the album mixes country and rock stylings to great effect, combining the two perfectly in the title track, which takes up the themes of “The Wild Side of Life” and “Bright Lights, Big City” while giving the story a happy ending (well, maybe). The album’s closer “Hold Me Tight” has echoes of Bob Seger’s acoustic side (well, Ed is based in Ann Arbor) and neatly finishes the journey from the opening rockers to the closing mixture of regret and nostalgia.
I’m rapidly becoming a big fan of Ed Dupas; the delivery is impossible to fault and his songs are superbly crafted with the emphasis on subtle allusion rather than declamation. It’s difficult not to admire a songwriter that trusts his audience to think and interpret for itself and put in a little effort to appreciate the songs.
While I’ve got your attention, I’d just like to point you in the direction of a song from Ed’s 2015 debut album. “Flag” is a beautiful example of the songwriter’s craft and would move the hardest heart. Give it a listen and tell me I’m wrong. Now how about some UK appearances, Ed? - Music Riot

This is a highly satisfying slice of blue collar Americana, with grit and grace in just the right ratio. Dupas may be from the home of the Stooges and MC5, but instead he chooses to kick out the classic Steve Earle-esque jams in a contemporary manner not too dissimilar to the likes of Sturgill Simpson. Even the album’s title guides us to points South, as Ed pays respect to the Volunteer State.

Opener Too Big To Fail jumps in with crunchy Telecaster chords. It’s a slice of classic driving Americana – an underdog’s call to change the oppressive system we live in, a song which yearns to burst out of the speakers on a battered pickup truck. Headin’ Home Again is softer in tone and self-explanatory by title. Broken hearts, abandoned railroads, epic road trips, cheap motels, car plants and a better future – classic Americana fayre from the Springsteen playbook played out over eleven tracks. However, Dupas retells it with gutsy aplomb. He’s at his most compelling when he kicks a little harder, as on the (anthemic) Anthem, though the studio band paints appealingly gentler shades in the quieter songs such as Everything Is In Bloom – a happy /sad harmonising duet with Cole Hanson. As you’d expect, the contributing musicians fill out Dupas’s songs with piano, pedal steel, banjo and organ with the requisite force and flavour. Call it garage country, for want of a better name. Ed Dupas delivers his version of working man’s blues to great effect. - Americana UK

“Sometimes the best that you can do / is hold on to the deepest part of you.” Michigan-based singer-songwriter Ed Dupas follows up his well-received 2015 Americana debut, A Good American Life, with an album that with subtle use of light and shade reveals the still vivid bruises of love gone wrong in a world gone mad.
If his debut had sceptical political overtones, not least characterised by the ironic title track, these 11 tracks tease out more personal turmoil, as on Do It For Me or the closing Hold Me Tight, both intense and understated. The politics are less overt. Promised Land reflects a sense of disillusion while the raucous opener Too Big to Fail makes his position clear: “We see it growing darker every day.”
Dupas may walk in the footsteps of Steve Earle but he is gradually finding his own way. - The Irish Times

Driving country from near the motor city


For all the wonderful music that comes from Detroit and its wider conurbation (and the home town of Alice Cooper will always do for us), you probably wouldn’t automatically associate it with great country – unless you count Kid Rock, of course. No? Ok then.

Anyway, along comes Ed Dupas, resident of Ann Arbor (according to Google Maps some 43 miles from Motor City) to change all that, because he is off and running on this, his second album to show he is a real American Badass.

His debut “Good American Life” was critically acclaimed, but almost entirely acoustic. As if to emphasise that is not the case this time, “Tennessee Night” opens with “Too Big To Fail” a riff that recalls early Steve Earle records. There is a real urgency here, as Dupas offers his thoughts on the situation his country finds itself in. “there’s people on the roof, and there’s people in the streets. They are shouting names and wanting change, the kind they’ve never seen, “ he offers. “And I can’t say how it’s gonna be, or if true love will prevail. But I still believe that love’s too big to fail.

The album was recorded live over three days, and it positively crackles as a result. “Two Wrongs” is almost perfect country rock n roll, if it was Jason and the Scorchers then it wouldn’t be out of place.

Not that Dupas has forgotten how to do straight up country either. There is wonderful Lap Steel work all over “Heading Home Again”, for example, and he hasn’t forgotten how to do heartbreakingly fragile acoustics, as “Do It For Me” proves, it’s just that he has taken everything up a notch with this.

“Some Things” is world weary, and picks over the embers with a wry smile, “there’s some things you just can’t undo, “ goes its chorus, “what you’ve done to me and what I’ve done to you” and Tara Cleveland adds some clever female vocals here.

As the collection goes on it becomes more melancholy – but as all the best music has always come from pain that is entirely a good thing – and “Up Ahead” is the type of vignette that Springsteen tried on Devils And Dust.

Rock n roll is to the fore here mostly, though and “Anthem” is suitably strident, albeit it is balanced nicely with the understated shuffle of the duet “Everything Is In Bloom” where Cole Hanson is the star.

Nothing here is too long and the brevity is a strength, “Promised Land” has a confidence about it, the title track is another to make fine use of Hanson’s fine voice on the harmonies, and the closing “Hold Me Tight” is achingly gorgeous.

It is also an acoustic song – more akin perhaps to the work on the debut. Ed Dupas is magnificent at that, but we already knew. What we didn’t know was how varied an artist he could be. On “Tennessee Night” he has broadened his horizons to wonderful effect.

Rating 9/10 - Maximum Volume Music

Ed Dupas’ debut album A Good American Life took as not just by surprise but by the throat in 2015, such was the power and beauty of his songs; and it’s been far too a long a wait for the follow up.
Pretty much recorded ‘live’ over three days in a studio in the middle of a Michigan heatwave, that claustrophobic and often baking hot feeling comes across from start to finish.
Now with a band and a Telecaster in tow opening track Too Big To Fail kick starts the album like turning the key in a ’69 Camero. Punchy? Feisty? Articulate? Plus some searing guitar and a band fuelled on adrenaline and coffee are a perfect combination around these here parts.
It’s all too easy to compare Ed’s road worn voice and writing style with early Steve Earle and even earlier Bruce; but remember those guys haven’t lived this life for 20 or 30 years…..and Dupas is living and writing about the small town feelings of Heading Home Again and Two Wrongs NOW and from the heart too; and he makes it sound as crunchy and complicated as it ever did…..so he probably sits more nearer to Sturgill Simpson and Sam Outlaw than those elder statesmen.
I love the hot red-brick Country sound of Promised Land and Anthem; especially the socio-political sentiments of the latter which proves even a ‘Good Ole Boy’ can be a Liberal too.
I’ve played this album at morning, noon and night….in the living-room, the office and of course in the car and it works well in every scenario; so I don’t really know where to start in picking a favourite track.
The lovely swinging duet with Cole Hanson on Everything In Bloom is obviously a contender; as is the tightly wrapped and sultry title track Tennessee Night; but my heart must go for the darkly simple delights of …..Do It For Me. I say ‘simple’ because that’s how it sounds at first; but listen again and again and it unfolds line after line; revealing more and more each play.
What more can I say? This is Americana Music, Country Music, Ameripolitan and/or Alt. Country…..whatever you want to call it; it’s a keeper. - The Rocking Magpie