Ryley Walker Live
2016-11-05
I was a little apprehensive to go to the Ryley Walker show. I was unsure of what to expect from this man live with a band as, most of the material I listened to was solo acoustic for KEXP. There is also this great show out there. This wouldn't be an issue but when I see music live I look for great insturmental jams and I was unsure of how Ryley Walker's tunes would translate live. It was my partner, Angelica, who turned me on to him and after getting a copy of Primrose Green I realized why she was so enamored with him. It was filled with songs of strong emotions which were intertwined within all aspects of the music. With exceptional songs like Primrose Green, Love Can Be Cruel and Same Minds, the Primrose Green was a journey and one of the best modern albums I’ve listed to.
I will be honest, I am a traditionalist when it comes to music and I tend to look for Deep Cuts of artists that used to be. But Ryley’s combination of driving, acoustic led, jazz infused songs intrigued and engrossed me. This sound is amazing in your headphones but can be hard to translate to the stage. It would rely on the energy of the band itself, not overfed distortion, to drive it.
As the show began it was easy to see that the band would not have a problem maintaining this level of energy. Ryley’s acoustic guitar set the course of the stream in which his band would head throughout the night. Speaking of the band, they fused wonderfully with the flow of the music and added tributaries of sound to the overall flow. The guitar, played by Bill MacKay, fired out concise riffs that perfectly accented the direction that the music took. The bass was the full, booming footsteps of the band, the heartbeat, and walked the right beat with Anton Hatwich doing the stepping. A constant supply of energy and musical character, drummer Ryan Jewell was throwing in drum fills at all the right moments, giving that improvisational jazz feel where any instrument can become the lead.
In fact, that is what stands out in my mind about Ryley’s music. It is deep. Musically it is deep in the way that all instruments are actively involved in the music. You can listen to any instrument at any time and be entertained at where they are in the song. I love that in a good band, where the musicianship is of a comfort and talent level, that the musicians just let it flow. Lyrically, Ryley's songs paint vivid pictures of riverside baptisms, frantic thoughts of love and fragrant roses. His new album is as lyrically rich as Primrose Green, but in a different direction. More on that later.
Three of the songs played live stand out in my mind;
Sullen Mind - A track off of Ryley’s newest record, Golden Sings that Have Been Sung. It was moody and real. It was not only a lyrically, but very musically emotional song.
Fair Play - As a strong fan of Van Morrison, it was great to hear a tune such as this. Ryley did it justice, showing a deep appreciation of great music.
Primrose Green - I hate to bring up the hits, but damn this was an enjoyable song to hear live. A testament to the album Primrose Green, which was Ryley’s previous album, and thoroughly enjoyable on all fronts.
The show was well worth it and Ryley Walker does not disappoint. Ryley’s guitar playing wavered from the full, chipper sound of celtic music to the droning tones of Indian music. A sitar would have been right at home during certain songs. Both of those styles of music seem to build on an underlying tone that ebbs and flows, and this works perfectly for Walker's music.
It was a total musical experience. Great vocals with an amazing accompaniment. It will draw you in and keep you the whole show, which is what all great music does. Ryley is around, I believe he is in California as I write this, he is ever touring. Soon he will be rolling back to Europe and the Middle East. If he rolls into your area, I recommend you go see him. You will not be let down.
Golden Sings that have Been Sung: A Review
Ryley's newest album, Golden Sings that Have Been Sung, has a more mature feel. Gone are the playful tones of Primrose Green, replaced with an album that has a darker, weary feel. It is more melancholy and moody, relying less on the driving sound of the music to push it, and more on the intricacies of the melody and lyrics to take the lead. It is more real, as least to me, lyrically and musically. Of course that means it's great. All great music is real and that's what this album is.
Golden Sings that have Been Sung starts with the conversational and light tone of The Halfwit in Me. When I say conversational, I guess I feel that the speed of the music is such that it is light and breezy, like a smooth flowing conversation. It is a clear signaler of Walker's stated influence of Van Morrison. Great guitar work and an overall good opening tune.
This is where the album takes a turn to a more dissonant tone sonically, with Funny Thing She Said and Solemn Minds as the two prime examples. These are both great tunes. Funny Thing She Said has a sweeping feel, that of a melancholy walk with the world on your shoulders. It is a contemplation of life. Solemn Minds is much the same, but from a different perspective. That of a man on the road who is finding it harder and harder to find the truth in humanity that he seeks. There is a sense of disillusionment that we all feel in these songs, and one that we can all connect with.
Coming up to The Roundabout, the album jumps to a more uplifting feel, that of a walk amongst friends. The instrumentation of the album is great, just as it is during the live show. It has a jazz feel, in the way that all of the musicians add their own story to the music. When I think of jazz, the improvisational nature always draws me in. Not the snazzy jazz like Kenny G, but the real and frenetic jazz of John Coltrane and John Scofield. Unlike those two jazz heavyweights, there is no real soloist in Ryley’s music. That can be a detriment to a band, but Ryley and his group handle it well with all of their own additions.
The album ends with the solemn, yet at times whimsical, Age Old Tale. With a harp accompaniment, it speaks of old truths and moves a ta speed that allows you to fully soak in the vibe of it all, as it were. After completing his album I promptly went and listened to Astral Weeks and Moondance, two of the iconic Van Morrison's most highly regarded albums. I had always been a Van Morrison fan, but after listening to the Golden Sings that Have Been Sung, I wanted to dive a little deeper into the past. Great music will do that, inspire you to look at what influenced someone to make it.
Overall it is a great album. This is Ryley creating his Tonight's the Night, moving away from his Harvest. Sorry, sometimes I speak in terms of Neil Young because he has done it all. If you are not familiar with this reference, Tonight's the Night is seen as one of Neil's best works, but it was created during a time of his life where he was still coming of age. The world was no longer the Summer of '67 and it was time to soak that in.
That's what makes this album great.
The realness of it all. Ryley has matured and this album speaks to his growth. Golden Sings that Have Been Sung is a journey, one that the listener will enjoy.
