BIG SLOUGH

The debut offering from Hoyt Van Tanner, aka Chris Hoyt of Lockhart's indie pizza hub Loop & Lil's, plucks an immediate chord tuned to John Prine and Blaze Foley with EP opener "EOTW." The track spins the end of the world as gentle lullaby, with Jess Williamson shading the apocalypse in backing vocals. Likewise, "Jericho Is for Lovers" echoes the melody of Wilco and Billy Bragg's "Way Over Yonder in a Minor Key," as the songwriter's dusky, Colter Wall-ish voice patiently toils through loves and losses ("Toki Doki"). Shane Renfro of RF Shannon fills out the largely sparse sound as producer, especially on the four-track's closing ballad "Hey, Billy." 

– Doug Freeman (Austin Chronicle)