Back in 2016 I was lucky enough to see Ryley Walker live in a small venue in a town a few miles away from my hometown. Walker was the one that brought back the the late 60's/early 70's when singer/songwriter explored the boundaries of folk music and at times crossed them. His music remind me of the best moments of Nick Drake or Tim Buckley and the way he plays the guitar reminds me of Bert Jansch. His songs are mostly in acoustic guitar territory, but he can incorporate both psychedelic and jazz elements. I prefer the acoustic songs where he can show what an exceptional guitarist he is. In the last few days he has released Bozo In Big Smoke a live album that reflects the mood and very well.
Primrose Green by Ryley Walker was one of the best albums from 2015. Not only because I saw him live at these days I really liked him because he came across the same cosmic folk vein as Tim Buckley or John Martyn. Now he is back with his latest album Course In Faible recorded and produced in his hometown Chicago by John McEntire a former member of Tortoise and The Sea and Cake. This album is stamped by Walker's own unique voice and combines his eclectic influences like Nick Drake, John Martyn and Bert Jansch with a massive touch of prog-rock. It is not the album you can listen to every day but if you find the time to get into this record you might find the beauty in it. I guess this will be an overlooked highlight and someday a classic.
Looking back to the first day of the festival I listened to a lot of new electronic music and you might think it is a space for computer based DJ-music. But there were lots of bands playing in a smaller venue that made real handmade guitar based music. Sadly I couldn't watch them all because I wanted to see the main acts today. I know I missed a lot of new bands but it was hard to make to right decision. So we started into the day with a band I featured a few month ago. Klez.E. is a band formed in Eastern Germany a few years ago and they were announced as the German Cure. And indeed, they had a lot of influence of them. Playing a bass inspired music with a charismatic singer in front and added with some post-punk guitar licks they made big fun watching them.
The next band that is worth to be named at this place is Zeal & Ardor. Listening to their songs you might think that they should be based in Southern USA but they are from Basel, Switzerland. They make a very unique mixture of gospel influenced sacred pop with and mix it with the best of black metal. For me it was the first time I listened to a sound like this and I have say that it impressed me the way they did their forward driven sound. Heavy guitars galore and an appearance that I won't forget.
After this I listened to Royal Canoe and Temples, both bands working on a new guitar pop and art-rock. Both bands were not too bad but when I can't remember any song a few weeks later I think it is not worth to write about them. Respecting their work I think I go further to the next one. American Football is an American independent band formed 20 years ago in Illinois. They made a few records and vanished after a few years in the scene. Now they made a reunion with a timeless unique independent sound. Their sound could be described as high-school soft emo-core. I didn't know them before and don't know their output from years gone by but their relaxed guitar inspired sound was perfect for a warm Saturday afternoon. They persuaded me at this time and I think I will listen to them during the next months for more than one time.
After watching Metronomy, another electronic band supporting some main acts during the last years I had to decide between Kate Tempest and Ryley Walker. It was hard because I really like Kate Tempest and her last album and I am a fan of Ryley. I decided for Kate Tempest first to watch out what will happen. She was in a good mood to wake up the audience with her lyrics and a band that fit to their songs very well. But after 15 minutes it was too stressful to listen to her and so I moved to Ryley Walker in the smallest venue. And this choice was perfect. He once made a great appearance. Playing his blues inspired songs with great soli on his guitar. It is always a pleasure to listen to him. He is probably one of this artists I would go to a concert and leave without being disappointed.
We finished the evening watching Moderat, an electronic music group originating in Berlin, Germany. They are famous at this scene and I was very excited to see them live. It is always difficult to perform electronic sound live on stage. But these guys impressed me very much. Their combination of drifty beats, reggae inspired vocals and the balance of pure electric music and krauty improvisations made a perfect finish of the second day.
The news arrived that one of my favourite folk-rock guitar player is going to release a new record out in August. It's the first release and a little masterpiece in this genre. Fantastic acoustic guitar on a steady groove. It makes me looking forward to this record.
Ryley Walker released with Primrose Green an album that impressed me much and took me back to long gone times when artist like Van Morrison or Tim Buckley were on the scene. Ryley Walker is an artist that combines old style folk-songs with heavenly jazz-tingled groove with reminiscent of Pentangle, the way John Martyn forces his way of jazz, blues, folk and rock. It's an album I listen very often this year and I like the songs he gave to us. Ryley is on of those artists that assured me seeing him playing live. For me it is a perfect symbiosis of picking guitar in a blues theme and singing his lyrics to. Seldom listened to an artist that impressed me more playing his songs and singing the lyrics. It is some kind of timeless music you could listen to for the rest of your life.
One of those records that impressed me much this year was Ryley Walker's Primrose Green. My place is a really desert for live acts - especially when they mostly unknown and new. So I was lucky that he appeared in a small club a few days ago. So I decided to give myself a pleasure and join this concert. The distance to the venue was only 12 miles away but I had an endless journey going by public transport. It would be easy to go there by car - if you have one. A couple of weeks ago I sold my 14 year old car. It was a Volvo running by diesel and no carbon-particulate filter. In these times it is hard to drive to different cities with an automobile that hasn't a reduced emission. If you do it and the police will grab you you'll get a penalty about 80 EURO. In addition I live in the center of our town, go to work with public transport and don't use the car very rarely. Counting the miles I used the car for the last two month I added the miles and the result was the I drove almost 100 miles in this time. That was the last fact that I decided to sell this car because I think it is not necessary to have a own car, paying fees, insurance and taxes and don't use it. A friend of mine who is reselling cars made me a good offer and I sold my old car. That are the facts when I went to the gig. Moving 35 minutes from the middle of Stuttgart to a far away destination in the small mountains beside my hometown. I came easily to the place where the concert should take place. I arrived one hour before and there were not more than 15 people waiting for the artist to start. While I was sitting outside for a beer and a cigarette Ryley Walker appeared and I sat down with him to a pint of beer. It was a well conversation about the Chicago music scene. Then he left to get the gig done. I've been to many concerts during the last decades but less grabbed me the way he did. The show was awesome and I stood there and almost couldn't believe what I've seen. Ryley is an artists that treats his guitar like less people before. He played it with his fingers like a hurricane and I got a feeling right back in the late 70s where artists like Bert Jansch or Nick Drake showed up. He and his band played not that sound that's everybody's cup of tea. Listening to his very intimate song he some artists came up my mind: Tim Buckley, Van Morrison and especially Tortoise. Yes, Tortoise, a Chicago based band which combined rock, ambient and jazz in a very unique sound. I was so grateful that I took the travel to watch the show. Maybe the highlight of this year.
This is an edit of a live taped show by acidjacknyc who gives us maybe the best live taped music at all.
I came home this evening from work and opened my in-box and I was satisfied when I opened the letter from the concert artists' agency. The tickets for the concert of Ryley Walker the next week arrived and I am looking forward to maybe one of the best young guitar players around here. I follow him for a few years and his records make me feel comfortable when I listen to them. It's a very special way of playing the blues but the way he picks the strings on his guitar makes me shiver sometimes. Another music for late nite, but worth to listen if you're in the mood for it.
