Zane Lowe is one of the hosts on Apple Music 1. In this role he has access to an amazing array of artists, and his laid back style puts them at ease; allowing them to open up not only about their music, but their lives.
Lowe recently put out a video saying the album ‘Calico’ by Ryan Beatty is “one of those rare albums that, after the first listen, you know will stay with you for your life’s journey”.
This stood out to me because I’ve never listened to an album, thought it was so good, and subsequently decided that it would “stay with me for life”.
So on the way back from the airport the other night—when I had at least an hour’s commute in front of me—I put on Calico, pulled up the lyrics to each song, and let Ryan Beatty take me on a journey.
I love the songs ‘Ribbons’, ’Bruises of the Peach’, and ‘White Teeth’. Beatty has Frank Ocean-esque style vocals, with unpredictable and fresh melodies. His chord progressions and the ensemble of instruments chosen for each track are thoughtful and nuanced. It’s just a great album, and one I’ve been playing all week.
If you give it a try, let me know what you think!