the hard life ahead. The imagery of the album plays out like 12 mini movies full of dust bowl era earth tones and unbelievably high stakes. The music has an outlaw country vibe, and his most passionate vocal delivery to date.
This release, recorded by ROBERT LUGO at DBB RECORDS, also features a full band aesthetic more than his previous work. While the full band approach takes the music to another level, sonically the material is crafted in a fashion that works on a solo level. When asked about this, Kerr said,“ I love playing in both situations! I have to think of the songs differently and work the crowd differently, depending on the scenario. Most of the full band shows are within a short drive from home base, so if I’ m on the road, I’ m on my own. As far as writing goes, it’ s a little of both. I initially write all of the songs myself before I bring them to the band. When we ' re writing as a band, I have to consider how the song will feel when I play it solo. It makes me keep the energy level up while performing, so the song feels as exciting as it would if it was being performed with the guys and all their parts.” Writing songs with this versatility is a function of need, but also displays the savvy that comes from years of being a true DIY artist. The years of learning on the road and at home are certainly paying off.
As I listened to“ Live Well” before I sat down to write this piece, I was sitting in bustling metropolitan traffic. The Saturday night crowd was pouring into the downtown streets. I was surrounded by all the things that make living in a major city great--and a few things that make it a nightmare. As red lights turned to green and back to red, I found myself getting lost in the music. For a moment, I was back in my own rural youth, slamming stolen Jack Daniels and dreaming of another life. It’ s a wild journey to take, but if Ryan Kerr comes to your town, you should definitely take the journey with him.
Check out Ryan Kerr online at:
www. ryankerr. bandcamp. com www. facebook. com / ryankerrmusic https:// ryankerrmusic. wordpress. com /