Album Review: Dan Hubbard Releases, Vol 1: Letting Go

Singer-songwriter, Dan Hubbard, from Bloomington, Illinois (folk-rock, southern-rock, pop, americana) released his 10th studio project Vol 1: Letting Go on October 24th, 2025.  This album, he says, has been a creative outlet, branching out from his normal sound.  He set out to not care so much about what anyone thinks (aside from his wife, Kaetlyn).  “I didn’t set out to write a concept album about ‘letting go’, but it just became obvious that’s what this EP is about,” Dan shared with me.  Originally, he was not sure if he would release any of it, but here we are, and I hope that he is glad that he did.  This EP release is part one of two.  His signature sound and storytelling fuses well with the added emphasis of R&B, soul, and pop that are more prominent with these songs than his previously released albums. 

The album is wholesome, realistic and easily relatable to life experiences.  It is easy to listen to and his vocals are crisp and they float above the lovely cinematic feel to the music.  From start to finish, the album carries you through a range of emotions.  From joy, to falling in love, to finding yourself, growth, and even loss are some major themes that I picked up on.  Three of the six songs– “Remember,” “Sad Eyes,” and “Open Up” were recognized as semifinalists in the 2024 International Songwriting Competition.  Each song was nominated in a different category.  This proves his expansive ability to incorporate a multi-genre sound while still keeping true to the Dan Hubbard sound.

Vol 1: Letting Go contains the songs:

1. Remember (4:47)

2. Sad Eyes (2:42)

3. Bind Up (3:26)

4. Open Up (2:32)

5. Roommates (2:58)

6. These Waters (3:23)

With regard to the album’s name, Letting Go, Dan says, “There’s a line in ‘Open Up’ that says, ‘Could you ever love someone so much that you’d let them go?’”  Feeding off the theme of previous albums, he says that it is just another word for love.  The record released before this EP, titled “Attention,” he has determined with his wife, that attention and letting go are both other words for what love is.

The overall sound quality of this album is nice and clean.  The track listing, to me, is perfectly placed, taking you on a ride, through the waves of life experiences with lyrics that capture the emotion like magic.  The overall sound/genre reminds me of artists like Tom Petty, Counting Crows, Chris Stapleton, and I even pick up on some Teddy Swims vibes.  I always appreciate an album that feels more like a story, not just a series of songs that sound similar.  

Getting into each song, first up is “Remember.”  Dan says, “I was a mess through most of my twenties.  When I had finally had enough I dropped to my knees for the first time in my life and asked God to take the pain away.  This song is a reminder to not forget about that moment when I was given a life again.”  This is a very instrumental song, lots of sounds going on, but they intermingle together to make a lovely song.  It slides along with the guitar and vocals fitting nicely together while creating an intensity that lingers.  To me, this triggers thoughts of how a relationship goes through phases.  There are cycles of trials and tribulations, and times of growth and change.  Sometimes in our relationships with others, it feels intense, but mostly it is a path that is everchanging.  It reminds me that even though things could be or were hard in the past, we remember it, but continue to grow and embrace the changing phases of a relationship.  Personally, this song provokes me to reminisce and ponder my own personal relationships and how they have evolved.  

“Sad Eyes,” with a pop feel, up next on the track list, has a simple yet effective electric sound that fits the theme of the song.  The quick, choppy keyboard notes line right up with the feeling of finding someone that turns out to be a match.  It is just slightly, the right amount, anxiety-inducing.  As the notes climb up to a peak, with vocals and lyrics creating an aligned crescendo, this song feels like falling in love.  Dan said, “My wife Kaetlyn told me recently that what she loved most about me when we first met were my sad eyes.”  This recording was the first that Dan has used drum sampling on, and he says, “it is pretty different from anything I’ve recorded before, but what’s the point in making new music if you aren’t gonna try some new stuff?”

Next up, is my personal favorite from the album, “Bind Up.”  I absolutely adore the R&B mixed with rock sound of this one.  To me, it hints at some pent up sexual tension, or wondering if someone else feels the same about you as you do for them.  Dan says, “It is pretty much combining sex and religion here.”  He continues, “Most of these lyrics come straight out of the bible, but the heart of it is about yearning for someone.”  “Love is better than wine, strong as death,” are probably my favorite lyrics from this song.  There’s an electric guitar that makes the song complete.  I don’t think the same emotion could have been portrayed without.  Ironically, originally, Dan thought that the heavy electric guitar was possibly too overbearing, so he muted it.  After it was sent in to producer Ken Coomer, Ken unmuted it.  I am so glad for this, because I am a sucker for some good electric guitar riffs.  I believe the electric guitar completes the feel, just as sex needs energy, this song definitely needed to have that cherry on top-the electric guitar.   

“Open Up,” the fourth track, to Dan, is the most important song of the album.  This one is a slower song, lots of scale work that is effective as the song builds tension.  Am I hearing a violin? Beautiful.  When listening to the lyrics of this song, I think about how as humans and individuals we tend to always want to be right.  We may get stuck in a mindset that our way is the way.  We also tend to expect others to act and believe as we do.  This can create heartache or a disconnect.  This song, to me, explores how there can be more than one way.  Dan says, “I was on the road and driving behind a vehicle with a license plate that said something like ‘NLY 1WAY’.  I stayed behind them for another 10-15 minutes writing this song and singing it into my phone, and completely finished it right then.”  Dan disagreed with the plate’s message and states, “The key line in this song is ‘There are more ways than there are stars in space.’” This song also reminds me of that old saying, “If you love something, let it go, and if it is meant to be it will come back.”  Dan says, “Could you ever love someone so much that you’d let them go?”

The fifth track, “Roommates,” is pretty cut and dry, but with more of a country or southern soundscape.  There is also a soft R&B sound.  Overall, the song is a little suspenseful.  It is about how in an intimate relationship, sometimes living together can feel like you have a roommate instead of a lover.  Dan says, “When for various reasons two lovers stop communicating even for a little bit, there is danger of the whole relationship quickly falling into despair.  Before they know it, they’re passing in the hallways without speaking or touching, feeling more lonely together than they ever were apart.” When listening to this song, even before I knew the backstory, it had me thinking about how a long-term relationship has phases where routine takes over.  Life gets busy, and intimacy within the relationship can be at risk.  It made me think of ways that I can be more intentional in my own relationship so that my husband always feels loved, even when stress and daily life take priority of my energy.  

Last, but furthest from least, “These Waters,” closes off the album, but not before first evoking some pretty powerful emotions.  It is chilling on the realest level.  It is lyrically and metaphorically brilliant. This song is created from a place of loss within Dan’s personal life.  When the song starts, you hear his little son say, “What do I do?” His wife, Kaetlyn then replies, “You’re just gonna let him go.” This is real audio from a family recording of the moment Dan, Kaetlyn and son, Emory were scattering his father-in-law’s ashes into the Pacific. Something about hearing the tiny, youthful voice, so soft and innocent speaking during such a sad part of life, is an instant reality check.  It grabs your attention right away, and I was listening intently to the lyrics.  It is instantly heartbreakingly real.  The simple guitar, slow, up and down flow of the notes feels like the waves of the ocean carrying you through the song.  

Overall, I think this is probably Dan’s best work so far.  I think he should continue to let creativity take over. I do hope to hear more electric guitar and drums in future works, but this release is masterfully crafted.   As much as we tend to want to consider what people may think, in the end, creativity and realness usually wins and has the best results.  Don’t mute yourself. 

Dan is kicking off the Letting Go Tour in November, so be sure to catch a show near you. 

11.8 - Rockford, IL

11.9 - Chicago, IL

11.14 - Belleville, IL

11.15 - Springfield, IL

11.16 - Ottawa, IL

11.22 - Champaign, IL

11.23 - Bishop Hill, IL