Category: news

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Starfighter (City In The Sky) – Dan Graul – New Music OUT NOW!

Starfighter (City In The Sky) is the newest single from Dan Graul’s acoustic album titled Don’t Be Afraid. The song is a mediation on the feeling of safety or the idea of security. The song came about after a conversation with a friend about a trip to Vancouver and their “high tech security” that got Dan thinking on that phrase and the concept of personal safety and security and what does it mean to “feel safe.” This song was written in 2006, a time that had very different connotations around security but Dan feels like the concept has continued to evolve with the times. In the wake of AI what does security vs. personal safety and privacy feel like? What does it mean to “feel safe” as a working class American, as our billionaires are racing to space, actively talking about moving there and settling other planets, and actively building underground bunkers in remote areas of the country? We live in interesting times and this song seems to be keeping on theme as it ages. Safety is an illusion and Dan Graul is here to tell you Don’t Be Afraid.

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Everything Has Changed – New Psych Folk Out Now!

Everything Has Changed is a psych folk exploration that celebrates change and finds joy in grief. The track is the newest single from Dan Graul’s new album Don’t Be Afraid. Dan wrote the song as an avenue to help himself move forward in the wake of losing his mother. Graul often uses music as a vehicle to examine his own emotional turmoil in a more objective way; and this one certainly came from tackling a tough, dark moment. Dan hopes others will find some solace in celebrating the change and singing along. In times of darkness, the love inside will light the way.

Dan Graul’s forthcoming album is Don’t Be Afraid. Dan wanted to present a set of songs performed and arranged simply, as if you were there in the room with him. There’s no grand production or extravagant arrangement on these songs, as they seek to highlight the basic building blocks of the music: songwriting, emotion, intention and execution in the moment. In the face of the mountains of AI slop polluting our lives and a culture of bigger, faster, louder; Dan wanted to make something tangibly human and empathetic because ultimately that’s what he himself is seeking to connect with. Don’t Be Afraid will feature a mix of Dan’s older and newer songs, some of these were songs originally recorded with Northern Strangers, some never previously recorded and some are brand new pieces altogether. Dan will be releasing the album track by track over the rest of 2026.

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Stream Now – What Will Become Of You

What Will Become Of You is the second track to release from Dan Graul’s new album Don’t Be Afraid. The song is a psychedelic meditation on the way fear and doubt have a way of invading our thoughts and seeping into our fabric of being, unless they are confronted. The song is largely inspired by 60’s psychedelic music like early Pink Floyd and The Doors. In the song, the singer acts as a kind of persistent antagonizing voice who is presenting dark ideas and scenes that plant a seed of uncertainty. Dan wrote the song at a period in life when he was working through personal anxiety and self doubt. Throughout his life, he has continually used songwriting as a method to explore darkness and find a way through tough mental times. Dan has long found a safe outlet in music as a vehicle to put the dark thoughts outside of himself and listen back to them from a more objective point of view. With the greater perspective, the scary ideas are never quite as scary as when they are just festering unexplored and half imagined.

Dan Graul’s forthcoming album is called Don’t Be Afraid. Dan wanted to present a set of songs performed and arranged simply, as if you were there in the room with him. There’s no grand production or extravagant arrangement on these songs, as they seek to highlight the basic building blocks of the music: songwriting, emotion, intention and execution in the moment. In the face of the mountains of AI slop polluting our lives and a culture of bigger, faster, louder; Dan wanted to make something tangibly human and empathetic because ultimately that’s what he himself is seeking to connect with. Don’t Be Afraid will feature a mix of Dan’s older and newer songs, some of these were songs originally recorded with Northern Strangers, some never previously recorded and some are brand new pieces altogether. Dan will be releasing the album track by track over the rest of 2026.

STREAMING LINKS

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Beautiful Animal (Acoustic) Now Streaming

Beautiful Animal is a romantic folk ballad about deep, true love, kinship and the endless potential of us. Dan Graul wrote the psychedelic love song for his wife Rebecca and surprised her with a lineup of their friends all playing it live on their wedding day. Halloween 2025 marked their 10th wedding anniversary, Grauloween as they call it. Dan has reworked the arrangement of the song and added a new section of lyrics evoking a yearning call of dedication to love, echoing off a mountain for all to witness. Though the track was written for a very specific audience of one, Dan had this to say of its universal relevance – “I hope others will find encouragement in this tune, as we are all beautiful animals perched and ready to unfurl our spectacular wings at any moment. We all have the power to be anything and do anything with our lives. We are resilient, amazing animals of the human kind and our potential is boundless, especially when we look to act from a place of love and understanding. Love is the action that truly lasts and transcends.”

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Feel Your Way – New Single Out 1/13/23

Feel Your Way commands its listener to stop overthinking and jump into the beautiful groove! Dan Graul’s newest release is a jaunty psychedelic pop song, with an anthemic chorus and R&B/Soul inspired vocal harmonies. The track culminates in a Pink Floyd inspired jam, where the band guides you through the spacey darkness of their collective consciousness before slapping you back into the funky, feel-good flow that begs you to bob your head and catch the vibe. Dan collaborated on writing the track with Will Norris, who initially brought the chord structure to the table and provided the groundwork that inspired an uplifting, truthful lyric and rollicking, fuzzy guitar hook. The collaboration continued when the two brought the song to pianist Rebecca Graul and drummer Jonathan Santin, who helped with fleshing out the arrangement and building the collective jam that brings the tune to its close. They recorded the track at The Compound Studio in Long Beach, CA with producer Antoine Arvizu. The song was originally released on Northern Stranger’s album Where The River Goes. The new release finds the song remastered by Graul and updated with a bolder, more modern polish.

Pre-Save Feel Your Way on Spotify Now!

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Dreams/Love And Light – New Single Out 9/23/22

Dan Graul is set to release a new single around the Autumnal Equinox.

The philosophy and musical influences of Dan Graul are on full display with Dreams/Love And Light. The track travels space, time and genre; hitting notes of country/folk attitude, psychedelic rock swagger, reggae groove and spacey new wave synth, set to a funky beat. Dan spins tales of personal past fears and dreams, and proclaims in an anthemic, affirmative chorus “don’t be scared, all things must change – you’ll never be prepared.” Ultimately, a solid dose of self understanding and forgiveness “the past is gone, when we move on – and find the love and light” brings the message of hope home and the lyrics give way to wailing, psych guitars.

The track will be released on 9/23/22 on all digital streaming platforms.

Stream Dreams/Love And Light at all digital platforms

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Little Blue Planet released to celebrate Earth Day!

Little Blue Planet is an anthemic love note to Mother Earth, wrapped in a psychedelic folk pop arrangement and delivered with a ton of heart. Dan and Rebecca Graul co-wrote the song based on the concept of “borrowing the love of the Earth” and all the implications that follow. The love is only borrowed, after all and must be returned one day. The duo recruited their friends from Half Tongue Tribe, a Pagan Rock/Storytelling project that Dan developed with writer/artist David LebBarro, to fill out the vibe and add to the vocal/percussion arrangements. Adam Chavira contributed flute, clarinet and saxophone; and Will Norris lays down the appropriate amount of country thump on the bass. The track releases in celebration of Earth Day on 4/22/22 to all digital streaming platforms.l

Stream Little Blue Planet at any platform – https://music.northernstrangers.com/lbp-all

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Dan Graul – Miles And Miles Out Now

You can live a lie or you can live YOUR life. Dan Graul’s new single Miles And Miles follows the emotional journey of questioning the status quo and making the choice to forge your own path. For Dan, love was the only possible starting point of that journey. Now he’s bringing positive vibes and radical ideas to your ears; and asking you to choose love and human connection. The psychedelic Americana track blends a folky retro rock aesthetic with a modern attitude and bite.