Local singer-songwriter/wunderkid Dylan Ewen explores a variety of styles as vehicles for his smart pop songs, and with the Berklee-sourced Southern Gospel Gangbusters, he hits pure Texas gold. On his latest album ‘Country Fried, Southern Pride,’ released off BUFU Records, Ewen embraces an upbeat americana hoe down sound with a pop punk attitude. With banjo, upright bass, urgent violin, harmonica solos and plenty of group shouts, the album’s sunny, jubilant instrumentation serves as a fun loving contrast to his searingly critical and insightful lyrics. Ewen’s breezy and jaded denouncements of shallow living and corporate consumerism and religion are protest songs for the contemporary generation, delivered with a smirk that belies a bold, earnest demeanor. His college-age epiphanies are simple yet universally relatable, urging you to trust in yourself and friends, even if you get bummed sometimes. At least we can dance it out.

Dylan Ewen is touring with Free Pizza in the Northeast in early January. Look out for a show near you, and much more from this guy in 2014.