I was under a lot of stress because I was trying to make an anti-folk record and I was having trouble doing it. I wanted to make something deep-fried and more me-sounding. I didn’t want to be jammy acoustic guy anymore. I just wanted to make something weird and far-out that came from the heart finally. I was always trying to make something like this I guess, trying to catch up with my imagination. And I think I succeeded in that way – it’s got some weird instrumentation on there, and some surreal far-out words.
I’m lucky enough to have some people who are playing on it who had a big part in shaping the songs and writing with me. Cooper Crain, the guy who engineered it, and played all the synthesizers. And when the flute guy, Nate Lepine came in, that was really something that made it special. The producer was this guy LeRoy Bach. I love LeRoy, he’s a really talented guy. He did the last record too.
And it’s more Chicago-y sounding. Chicago sounds like a tra in constantly coming towards you but never arriving. That’s the sound I hear, all the time, ringing in my ears.
“There are shades of Nick Drake, Jim O’Rourke, King Crimson, Steely Dan, Beck’sĀSea Change, Wilco’sĀA Ghost Is Born, and a whole CD tower full ofĀMudvayne psych, folk, prog, jazz, and post-rock records. It’s truly breathtaking music.” – Stereogum
Get to know Ryley and listen to the singles ‘Telluride Speed‘ and ‘Opposite Middle‘ on Noisey
Deafman Glance by Ryley Walker