Tony Lunn

If you live in a city like New York, London, Chicago (Tony Lunn's home town), it's very easy to come across singer/songwriters. Los Angeles also has a long history of singer/songwriters, but because of the city's spread-out geography, you don't feel like they are jumping out at you as often. You have to know where to find them -- and The Last Days of Diresville demonstrates that Lunn is among the L.A.-based singer/songwriters who is worth finding. The Midwest native turned Southern California resident isn't groundbreaking, but he's an expressive vocalist and a talented lyricist with an appealing roots rock/adult alternative/folk-rock outlook. Many of Lunn's influences are people who emerged in the '60s and '70s -- Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Stephen Stills, among others -- and those influences serve him well on melodic, reflective offerings like "Welcome to the Past," "Burden," "Change," and the moody title track. In addition to writing the material, Lunn co-produced this 46-minute CD with engineer John X; together, they make The Last Days of Diresville sound well produced but not over-produced -- which is a good thing because when you're a singer/songwriter like Lunn, you need a production that doesn't get in the way of your vocals or your lyrics. Going for a big, elaborate, high-gloss production can be fine for rap or dance music, but Lunn is the sort of artist who is better served by intimacy -- and that is exactly what he provides on this likable debut.