photo by Brianna Wiest

Pat Hatt is on the move—both literally and creatively. The California-based singer-songwriter has just announced his forthcoming self-titled EP, set for release on July 11, and today, he shares the project’s lead single and video, “Drunk On Leaving”—a rootsy, full-band anthem about liberation, longing, and learning to let go.

Directed by Alejandro Zapata, the “Drunk On Leaving” video echoes the track’s narrative arc with cinematic visuals of open roads, empty bars, and the bittersweet sting of starting over. The single, now available on all streaming platforms, made its debut on Glide Magazine and marks a striking shift in sonic direction for Hatt—a far cry from his stripped-down indie-folk past.

With a gritty blend of heartland rock, Americana, and punk, Hatt taps into the storytelling lineage of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, while keeping one boot firmly planted in the modern edge of Butch Walker, Dave Hause, and The Menzingers. “Drunk On Leaving” is an urgent, emotionally charged track that captures the adrenaline of reinvention—a fitting introduction to a project born out of movement, risk, and rebirth.

The self-titled EP was recorded at Tiny Creatures Studio in Joshua Tree, CA with acclaimed producer Alex Newport (City and Colour, Death Cab for Cutie, Bloc Party), and mastered by Carl Saff. The result is five tracks that hit hard and stay with you—loud, twangy guitars, a driving rhythm section, and lyrics that cut straight to the core.

Hatt enlisted longtime friends Andrew Burton and Nick Lowry of Super Vehicle on guitar and drums, lending the record a raw, collaborative energy that speaks to both his punk roots and his barroom Americana leanings. Thematically, the EP explores change, self-reflection, and the romance of the road, with standout tracks like “Turn The Dial”, “Whiskey Lens”, and the EP’s second single, “Lyin’ To Yourself”—a devastating slow-burn about the quiet ways we sabotage our own happiness.

After years of playing in touring bands, Hatt took a decade-long break from the stage to work as a professional barber, but the urge to create never really left. His reintroduction to music began in 2023 with “High Is Gone” and “The Mend,” a pair of intimate folk songs that showcased his ability to weave poignant stories through just voice and acoustic guitar.

In early 2025, he released the alt-country single “Catch a Serpent”, a haunting narrative on the opioid crisis recorded at Tiny Telephone in Oakland with Maryam Qudus (La Luz, Spacemoth) and mastered by Grammy-winner Pete Lyman (Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers). Featuring pedal steel by Ian Taylor Sutton (Vincent Neil Emerson, Jesse Daniel), the track broadened Hatt’s sound while staying rooted in his lyrical authenticity.

The self-titled EP is more than just a collection of songs—it’s a declaration. With a sound that nods to Americana’s past while pushing toward its future, Hatt is setting the stage for a revival, both personal and artistic. “Drunk On Leaving” and “Lyin’ To Yourself” drop in May and June, and the full EP lands July 11.

Tour plans for both coasts are in the works, with more details coming soon.

Drunk on Leaving” feels both liberating and melancholy. Can you talk about the moment or experience that inspired this song and how it shaped the tone of your new EP?

“Drunk on Leaving” was inspired by my cross-country move from Pennsylvania to California to start a new life with my now fiancé. It was actually the first song I wrote once I arrived. I was overcome with this sense of wander, excitement and joy. A fresh start. The best way I could describe it was like being intoxicated for the first time… but this time on life.

Your music blends heartland rock with the energy of punk and the storytelling of Americana. How do you balance those influences when writing a new track?

Every song I write usually starts with just a few chords, a melody and an acoustic guitar. I’ve been writing folk and country for a lot of my adult life, so that comes naturally. However, I grew up on punk, hardcore, emo and indie rock so that is still very ingrained in me. On my road trip out west, I listened to a lot of like old Epitaph Records punk bands from my youth as well as Tom Petty, Springsteen and even 90s alt-rock like The Wallflowers and Goo Goo Dolls. I knew I wanted to switch it up for this record and incorporate a lot of different influences. I’ve always kind of tried to stray way from being pigeon-holed into one genre or scene and I think my new songs are a good representation of everything I dig.

After a decade-long break from music, what brought you back—and why now?

I started dabbling again in 2020 during the pandemic with a couple of my friends. We had a lot of time and a small circle so we just started getting together weekly to write. It eventually inspired me to release two of my own songs in 2023 and after that I was hooked. I remembered how important music was to me and I started feeling like my true self again. Once I made the decision to quit my job and move west I figured it was the perfect time to seriously pursue music as a career again.

This EP feels like a new chapter. What do you hope listeners take away from this collection, especially tracks like “Lyin’ To Yourself” or “Whiskey Lens”?

Oh yeah, this EP is definitely a new chapter for me. I feel energized like I did when I was a teenager just starting to play in bands. As far as what I want listeners to take away from the songs? I don’t know really… I kind of like to leave that up to the individual. I like the idea of songs having different meanings for different folks.

“Lyin’ To Yourself” and “Whiskey Lens” are both definitely about introspection and the realization of getting in your own way. I spent the last decade hanging in a lot more bars than recording studios. Don’t get me wrong, I still like to enjoy life… I’m just looking for a little balance now.

How did working with Alex Newport at Tiny Creatures Studio and mastering by Carl Saff shape the sonic identity of the record?

Working with Alex was an absolute pleasure. He’s been doing it for a long time and has worked on a ton of records I love. He’s really hands-on during the production process and has a knack for improving the material without completely changing the vision. He’s a total pro… yet his soft-spoken, thoughtful nature really helped me relax and make the best record possible. He’s also recorded a lot of different genres of music over the years and since I was trying to combine a bunch of stuff it felt like a good fit. It also didn’t hurt that his studio is located in Joshua Tree, CA… vibes for days.

Carl Saff is also a veteran in the mastering world and super easy to work with. Definitely rounded out the final product perfectly.

You’ve moved across the country, changed careers, and returned to music. How has your personal evolution influenced the themes in this EP?

I think these major life changes have allowed me to do a lot of thinking and self-actualization. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the monotony of life and forget what’s actually important to you. I feel like I’m back on track and ready to do the damn thing.

Tell us about the making of the “Drunk on Leaving” video with Alejandro Zapata. What was your vision for translating the song visually?

Alejandro is a good friend of mine and a really talented videographer from my hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I knew I wanted it to incorporate some cool driving scenes and have an overall fun, light-hearted mood. I originally was going to fly him out west to shoot something in the desert but he’s a busy dude and only had a couple days to shoot. I flew out to him and we shot two music videos in two days. It was a total grind, but totally worth it. Since the east coast in early March isn’t exactly the most scenic place, we decided to shoot the video in a friend’s old Bronco with a green screen behind it. I loved the obviously kitschy, fake background vibe seen in a lot of old movies. It was a blast to shoot.

‘Catch a Serpent” touches on the opioid crisis in the Northeast. Do you see storytelling through music as a form of activism or emotional processing?

I think it can be both. I would say for that particular song it was less activism and more of an observation. I grew up in a small town that was particularly bad with opioid addiction. My school was nicknamed “Heroin High” since the 70’s. I personally never got into that stuff but I had a lot of peers who struggled and even died from it. Now with Fentanyl being laced in everything, even recreational drugs, it’s a problem everywhere. I don’t pretend to have a solution to the problem but I knew I wanted to write a song about it.

You’ve gone from solo acoustic work to full-band, high-energy arrangements. How does playing live feel different for you now, and what can fans expect on tour?

Well, I played in a lot of bands growing up and I really missed the energy and feeling of playing live with other people. Performing solo has its moments but it can also get a little boring at times. I knew with this new record I wanted to take it up a notch and write rock songs. It feels good to swap out the Martin for a Tele and put on a fun live show. With the band you can expect loud, twangy guitars, a driving rhythm section and an overall more exciting performance. However, I can also play stripped-down acoustic versions of the songs and they translate well. I like having options.

If you had to describe this EP as a road trip, where would it begin, where would it end, and what would be on the dashboard playlist?

Starts in purgatory and ends in the closest thing to heaven I’ll ever get. Steady diet of caffeine and gas station taquitos. Nostalgia on the radio.