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Album reviews Music

Ryley Walker

Ryley Walker could almost have fooled us: his sophomore record and Dead Oceans debut sounds like it wants to belong in the UK 60s or 70s psych folk scene, not like it was made by a Chicago-based guitar virtuoso and a group of jazz and improv collaborators.

On songs like Summer Dress, boldness seems to be the point: Walker scats and howls about desire (lyrics hardly matter here) over prominent upright bass, swirling psychedelic guitar, heavy drums and heady vibraphone. The trance state continues in Same Minds and Love Can Be Cruel, but Walker begins to show his Nick Drake affinity on Griffiths Bucks Blues – his guitar suddenly pastoral and accompanied by strings.

Instrumentally, Primrose Green is an engaging listen, but Walker the singer only comes through a few times – on gospel-inflected On The Banks Of The Old Kishwaukee and The High Road. He could show us his gentle side more often and remain just as impressive a guitarist.

Top track: On The Banks Of The Old Kishwaukee

Ryley Walker plays the Mod Club Friday (June 20) as part of NXNE.

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