Will Schube is too folk to die
Tthe re-emergence of the folk-Americana canon is exciting. Steve Gunn’s Way Out Weather was my favorite record of 2014, and William Tyler’s consistency is a marvel. It’s time to add Ryley Walker to the exponentially increasing list. The northern-Illinois born guitarist crafts the sort of jams both Tyler and Gunn execute so well—the freedom of Grateful Dead, the craft of a Bert Jansch or other similarly styled folksters, and the melodic weaving heavily influenced by jazz and experimental leaning music.
Ryley Walker’s Dead Oceans debut, Primrose Green, is out in late March and first single of the same name is a sterling introduction. Intricate guitar work—slippery, complex, and flawlessly executed—are supported by airy drums and warm piano chords. The track’s multitude of parts never threaten to overwhelm it’s emotional core: Walker’s vocal delivery, which is classic in a startling way. Walker’s best strength is the emotional resonance of his voice. The track’s second half loosens up as the piano flurries—the drums grow louder and the guitar pierces more than it soothes. It eventually returns to a state of calm before quickly fading into nothingness—led by its catchy melody. Walker works in a similar sphere of influence as his contemporaries, but when the results are constantly inspiring, any sort of similarities disappear into the dirt where this sort of roots music originates.
