Say hello to Noah Siegel, the 22-year-old singer-songwriter whose debut LP offers a contemporary, coming-of-age take on the sad cowboy. Released under the moniker Yahtzee Brown, the Austin native’s Jan. 24-released effort You Got This swells with psychedelic Americana as it chronicles bad breakups, the insatiable urge to party, and bittersweet growing pains.
Grounded in stark steel plucks but lightened with airy pop accents, opening track “Take It Back” introduces us to Brown in the aftermath of a relationship gone sour. A slight homegrown twang occasionally juts within his vocals as he reminisces on the good old days – both with the girl and with “All my favorite hippies and longhairs/ Hanging out under the bleachers.” By the time “I Guess I’m Sorry,” the artist’s debut single, rolls around a few cuts later, he’s succumbed to self-destruction (“I sold all your stuff/ I sold all the pictures/ Made a few bucks/ I spent it on drugs”).
This sense of escapism permeates the nine-song release. Jaunty rhythms, like those on rolling track two “Big Friday,” flood the LP, and buzz with the hopeful atmosphere of a night out on the town. Like a shaky knee itching with restlessness, “I Am Waiting” darts with eagerness to find a better partner, and brisk piano patterns pair with electric chords to further feed Brown’s ardor for love.
The slow-footed “Halloween,” however, encompasses post-party quietness and stirring contemplation. Brass horns offer a warm embrace to Brown as he’s left in the cold, retracing his steps and preparing for yet another night of distractions. To the tune of lush strings, our lonesome dove croons, “And when tomorrow’s today/ I’ll be left without that place/ Without a pretty face/ But I’ll have a high collar and drink in my hand.”
Amid his hotheaded breakup attitude, vulnerability occasionally peeks through the singer’s self-assured mask. Thumping basslines layer tension within “Dad Rock” as it tackles the loneliness of growing up. “Don’t shrug your shoulders baby,” he sighs. “There’s no shrink to talk to/ No tie to wear.”
Brown’s favor for festivities does a full 180 for somber piano ballad “Sidelines,” where not even a revolving door of poignant keys can deter the artist’s resentment for his ex-lover (“I’m sick and tired of the stuff you put on me/ And you’re holding hands with every sad fucking kid in a 50-mile radius”).
The album closes with “8 Weeks,” a cover of Arizona trio the Hustlers’ “Eight Weeks in a Hole.” Eric Martin, the band’s lead vocalist and drummer, was a close friend of Brown’s father, a rock drummer himself, and the plucky tune echoes through Brown’s childhood memories of bonfires and family gatherings. Lulling strums ignite a long-desired peace of mind within the tribute to the late musician and family friend. The young singer rasps “bring me home,” and with his minimal instrumentation and balmy croons, a sense of newfound maturity closes the record.
You Got This exudes relatability for the messy, breakneck reality of young adulthood, packaged within a steady balance of country-forward indie rock. Glimmers of budding maturity hide within the pockets of reflection embedded in the latter half of Siegel’s unorthodox healing process, offering promising hope for the new artist.
Yahtzee Brown
You Got This (Sparkle Plenty/ Deko Entertainment)
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This article appears in February 21 • 2025.