Ryan Perry-High Risk, Low Reward
Ryan Perry, offering High Risk, Low Return
Ryan Perry, is soon to be visiting the UK as Part Of This years Blues Caravan, Ruf Records tour vehicle for up and coming, sometime road hardened, bands. Since 2007 he has been burning through Mississippi with his award winning, Homemade Jamz Blues Band. He has now taken a leap of faith a with High Risk Low Reward, solo album. Back in 2007, he was just 13 and placed 2nd in the Memphis International Blues Challenge, that’s quite a start, now with over a decade garnering roadshows, fans and honing his skills, both as performer and writing skills, he was ready for this project.
This new album, is recorded at Erde Studios in Berlin, and produced by a rather familiar name, our own Roger Innis, Thomas Ruf is renowned for encouraging his artists to step into less familiar rolls, I don’t know if this is a first for Roger, but we could be seeing his name on even more credits in the future. Equally familiar are the classic Blues that Ryan has added, to his own compositions, on this 11 track disc.
The album opens with a lovely honeyed guitar lead, before Ryan’s deep warm and soulful timbre feeds in for, ‘Ain’t Afraid To Eat Alone’, he’s locking his girl out, the story is as old as the hills, that’s going to give you an appetite for more.
‘Homesick’, has a solid bass pulse, which Ryan picks over, delivering his downbeat message, but its a contagious slow funk, that you can be happy to sink into. Ryan’s songs are easy to listen to, mellow and soulful, with superb guitar leads adding colouration. ‘Why I Sing The Blues’, contrastingly is effervescent, with richly voiced lyrics under the bright frothy guitar licks. Add some soulful funk and tricksy lyrics and ‘One Things For Certain’, your fast heading toward the title track. High Risk Low Reward, has dirty Delta guitar, a deep filthy rhythm, and hard edged vocals, layered over an impulsive throb. Fully deserving its title accolade, the highly charged gritty rock is as addictive as cocaine.
Perry follows up with a slow burning, deeply dark and irresistible, ‘Changing Blues’, changes as his influences fade into history, changes in his music, stark and stunningly beautiful. ‘Oh No’, delivers a lovely groove to sit in, the lyrics unfold the declaration, holding everything in control, the guitar solo, adds soaring rock edged atmosphere. The songs written by Ryan are personal, revealing the emotions and changes, many of us can sympathise with. In those songs there have been hints, spoilers even, that come into being when he releases those forces into his interpretation of, ‘Evil Is Going On’, its as savage as you could hope for, dirty rock edged blues with bursts of rhythm and fabulous guitar riffs, the devilish lyrics perfect for the Perry’s deep earthy vocals. Throw in some extra dust, cavernous drums and even more distortion, and you’ll find yourself in, ‘Hard Times’, tough, but terrific.
A really well crafted set of songs, that belie Ryan Perry’s years, lyrics full of soul and brought to life with real feeling, on top of which, the man plays a mean guitar. A superb first solo effort, produced with support from the studio band, Ruf have showcased another fine blues artist to enjoy, a desirable album, and enticing temptation to get aboard that Caravan when it comes down the road.
