Description
Label Review.
2018 album also available in Vinyl.
Our Overview.
‘Deafman Glance’ is the second Ryley Walker album produced by LeRoy Bach and Walker himself. The songwriter is almost continually working, a steady flow of new material that presents a mind in perpetual evolution. 'Deafman Glance' was seemingly born from an attempt to step outside of himself, to move past the tags associated with his work. He comments "I was under a lot of stress because I was trying to make an anti-folk record and I was having trouble doing it," Ryley continues. "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. And it’s more Chicago-y sounding. Chicago sounds like a train constantly coming towards you but never arriving. That’s the sound I hear, all the time, ringing in my ears."
‘Deafman Glance’ was largely recorded at the Minbal (now JAMDEK) Studios in Chicago. Some later sessions also took place at USA Studios and in LeRoy’s kitchen. Cooper Crain (Bitchin’ Bajas, Cave) recorded and mixed the album, as well as adding his shimmering synths all over it. Ryley plays electric & acoustic guitars and was joined by long-time 6-string sparring partners, Brian J Sulpizio and Bill Mackay, who both play electric. LeRoy Bach also plays some electric guitar, whilst adding all piano and other keys. Andrew Scott Young and Matt Lux play bass – Andrew supplying some double-bass, both of them played electric. Drums / percussion are handled by Mikel Avery and Quin Kirchner. Topping off this list of notorious Chi-Town players is Nate Lepine, who added a lot of flute and a little saxophone too.
“Walker effortlessly manages to balance simplicity and complexity, finding a sweet spot somewhere between The Sea & Cake, Fleetwood Mac andMark Eitzel.” - Uncut