Tyler Bryant – Screwed & Tattooed Four Singles That Signal A Fearless Solo Rebirth

By Glen Parkes

For a musician who has already carved out a formidable reputation both on stage and behind the desk, Tyler Bryant’s new four-track release Screwed & Tattooed feels less like a side project and more like a creative reset. Known to many as the electrifying frontman of Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, Bryant has also quietly built a parallel career as a producer and engineer of serious pedigree. As a two-time Grammy Award winner, he brought home “Best Contemporary Blues Album” honours for Larkin Poe’s Blood Harmony and Ruthie Foster’s Mileage, released via Sun Records.

Yet Screwed & Tattooed is not about accolades. It is about immediacy.

Bryant has long championed the idea that recordings should capture lightning in a bottle rather than sand off every rough edge. With his self-built studio now fully operational, he has created a space where inspiration can be documented in real time. In an era increasingly shaped by digital perfection and AI-generated precision, Bryant’s approach feels defiant. These tracks breathe, flex, and occasionally snarl — and that’s precisely the point.

Opening with “Falling Up,” Bryant signals that this solo chapter will be instinctive and unfiltered. Clocking in at a lean 1:58, the track wastes no time. There’s a looseness to the performance, but never a lack of control. His guitar tone is gritty and immediate, while the vocal delivery balances vulnerability with quiet confidence. It’s no surprise the track earned Classic Rock Magazine’s “Track of the Week” and a place on their Hot List — it feels like an ice breaker in the truest sense, bridging the swagger of his band work with a more introspective, roots-driven direction.

“Planted” follows with greater depth and space. At 3:51, it allows Bryant to stretch out musically and emotionally. The groove settles into something earthy and grounded, reflecting the song’s title both lyrically and sonically. There’s a maturity in the songwriting here — less about flash, more about feel. The guitar interplay between Bryant and Graham Whitford adds texture without overwhelming the arrangement, while Diego Navaira’s bass work subtly anchors the track. The accompanying video further underscores Bryant’s commitment to authenticity over artifice.

By the time we reach “Mama Like To Rock,” the Americana influences become even more pronounced. Co-written with his wife, Rebecca Lovell of Larkin Poe, the track radiates warmth and swagger. It’s playful yet rooted in tradition, blending Southern storytelling with a modern rock pulse. Emilio Navaira’s drumming provides a steady backbone, while background harmonies add a communal, almost porch-session vibe. It’s a celebration of heritage without sounding retro for the sake of it.

The title track, “Screwed & Tattooed,” ties the collection together with a statement of identity. Written and performed by Bryant alongside Whitford and the Navaira brothers, it captures the spirit of the entire project: raw, lived-in, and unapologetically human. The chemistry between the musicians is evident — this is not a collection of isolated studio overdubs but a band reacting in the moment. You can hear the air moving around the instruments, the slight imperfections that remind you real people are making this noise.

What stands out most across these four tracks is Bryant’s refusal to overcomplicate things. There is no unnecessary production gloss, no attempt to chase trends. Instead, he leans into feel, groove, and storytelling. The performances are tight but never sterile, energetic without being overworked. It’s a reminder that rock and Americana at their best thrive on connection rather than calculation.

For fans of his work with Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, Screwed & Tattooed may initially feel stripped back. But that’s its strength. This is Bryant trusting his instincts, his songwriting, and the musicians around him. It’s less about proving anything and more about rediscovering the joy of capturing a moment as it happens.

If “Falling Up” was the ice breaker, these four singles collectively signal something bigger: a bold new era defined by spontaneity and soul. In stepping away from the familiar framework of his band, Tyler Bryant hasn’t diminished his sound — he’s distilled it.

Screwed & Tattooed is raw. It’s immediate. And most importantly, it’s real.