Wanderlust is the hallmark of the troubadour, and Patrick Thomas is no exception to the rule. Restless in his hometown of Detroit, the singer-songwriter dreamt of hitching his post to a new city – one equally gritty and post-industrial, but with better bars, pricier beer and more likeminded folk. In other words, Brooklyn.

The search for new surroundings is chronicled on Thomas’ debut album, Build Me A City, a collection of skillfully wrought melodies that tell of loves won and lost, journeys begun but not yet finished. Whether he’s nursing his wounds on stripped-back tracks like the lovely “Anymore,” or turning up all four burners with the bluesy rocker “City of Sin, ” Thomas consistently displays his fine lyrical chops and knack for penning pretty tunes. Think Josh Ritter meets M Ward. “I’m gonna win myself a new life in a city that don’t sleep a night,” he sings on “City of Sin.” Mission accomplished – we just hope he can afford the rent.

This blog post was contributed by Kate Bredimus