Ryan Traster & The Lowlights

Ryan Traster & The Lowlights is the latest chapter in the evolving story of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Traster — an artist whose work bridges the raw spirit of punk and the timeless craft of Americana.

With the upcoming Lifers EP (out early 2026), Traster returns to his roots with a collection of songs that sound like The Replacements doing country music — five portraits of endurance, heartbreak, and creative faith. The record moves between stripped-down acoustic storytelling and driving, heartland rock anthems, mirroring the road-worn lives of the songwriters, drifters, and believers it celebrates.

Since 2010, Traster has released a series of critically acclaimed solo albums and EPs that weave together Americana, jangle pop, and lo-fi folk — each shaped by a melodic instinct and a sense of lived-in storytelling. A longtime sideman for Brett Newski and Chris Pureka, he has also recently performed with Brad Byrd, Rosa Pullman, and Starlight Cleaning Co.

His collaborations span an impressive range of producers and musicians, including Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie), Marc Perlman and Tim O’Reagan (The Jayhawks), Ed Ackerson (Polara, BNLX), Joe McGrath (Blink-182, Morrissey), Peter Anderson (The Ocean Blue), Ed Rose (The Get Up Kids), Kris Johnson (The Jayhawks, Two Harbors), and Mass Giorgini (Screeching Weasel, Common Rider).

Before his solo career, Traster played bass and vocals in the early- to mid-aughts Midwest emo band Small Towns Burn a Little Slower and now fronts the NYC noise rock/post-hardcore group Mister Hypnotist. Over the years, he’s shared stages with artists including Lifetime, The Draft, Motion City Soundtrack, The New Amsterdams, The Honorary Title, and Old 97’s — a testament to his ability to move fluidly between worlds of punk, Americana, and indie rock.

Now based in New York’s Hudson Valley, Traster continues to write, record, and perform with grit, melody, and warmth — The Lowlights marking not a reinvention, but a return to the community and spirit that first made him pick up a guitar.