Ryan Herrick
Ryan Herrick is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and folk artist from Chicago, Illinois. His flowing organic music showcases moments of intricate artistry without ever shying away from rawness. And in his nine minute single “Watercolors” (which spearheads his EP/release) this couldn’t possibly be more true. Get ready to walk alongside the artist in this journey.
Throughout “Watercolors” there are a plethora of satisfying moments for those inclined to take a peek behind the hood into music theory. This is not your everyday average folk album; it has unexpected chords, a finesse and mysterioso to it. And there are lingering moments of instrumental texture with no lyrics at all. Herrick is an expert at leaving enough space for a song to be able to breathe. As the first brush strokes of the song are laid, we hear delicate pings, guitar harmonics, against the canvas of cosmic synths and low oceanic lines. The music swells as we admire the music video, which is somehow both reminiscent of an abstract painting, and of living cells under a microscope…
Visually, red fades to blue, and the music begins to take on a different theme. A steel-slide-type timbre crescendos, intertwining with the increasingly complex fingerpicked acoustic pattern. There are moments of twang, choruses of guitars which phase in and out as if it were the backup vocal of Alison Krauss. “Watercolors” manages to combine the iconic feelings of ambient soundtrack and indie-country simultaneously. There’s something so very human about watching the organic shapes swirl around as the music ebbs and flows like the tide.
At the end of phrases, we begin hearing a few unexpected and tasty notes. Next, a pedal tone turns the moment into a small meditation. Violins creep into the edges of the sound, and the earthy strumming becomes more intense, aggressive compared to the flow state we were previously lulled into. We simmer back down (almost to nothingness) by the time we reach 6 minutes in. The sheer gentleness of the next moment was as soft as the petals of a cherry blossom.
Why did you choose to name your song and EP “Watercolors”? What is your favorite artistic medium other than music?
RYAN HERRICK: As a creative individual, my journey really started out as a visual artist, working through the various mediums from pencil to charcoal to paints. It really wasn’t until I was in high school where the shift from the visual field to a more auditory medium via the guitar took hold. Once the songs began to take shape in the studio, I was taken back in time to the tactile and textural sense of visual art that the musical soundscape in the moment was eliciting. The collection of songs felt liquid to me, and the colors of the acoustic guitars and my electric weissenborn (a Hawaiian square neck lap slide guitar) began to feel like the palette, while the songs themselves were serving as the easels to paint over. ‘Watercolors’ encapsulated the entire vibe, and the track itself, coming in at just over 9 minutes, to me was the creative peak of the record and more than worthy of the album title.
Right now, my favorite medium, albeit an unconventional one, is working with dogs. We rescued a Belgian Malinois about a year ago, and daily training and communication with the canine species has become a devoted focus and passion of mine.
What does the art in your official “Watercolors” music video represent or look like to you, and what was the music video making process like?
I love that video. At its core, it’s performance art. My good friend CJ Johnson, who is a budding director, musician, and sound engineer in Chicago, worked with Hydrosonic Light Show (@hydrosoniclightshow) to capture a live performance set to ‘Watercolors’ that incorporates overhead and slide projectors, paints, handmade items and vintage gear to create exactly what you see in the video. CJ used a technique called dissolve transition to create the overlays. It’s trippy, psychedelic, and washes across the screen while the pedal steel wails and the acoustic guitar paddles along. I wanted to stay out of the creative process entirely, and just the artists create their art. It’s perfect.
What kinds of pedals or special effects helped these become finished pieces?
My favorite pedal to date that is used extensively live and in the studio, is the Strymon El Capistan. It’s like having an analog tape delay in a box. You can do quite a bit with it. The X-factor in the soundscape realm would be Duane Lundy’s ears, production, and synth work. That is a bit of a secret recipe.
What genre would you call this?
This record is a bit of a flirt. Let’s call it New Americana. But at its roots, it’s folk music in the truest sense. There are instruments of World Music combined with accoutrements of Primitive folk; open tunings, acoustic guitars, slide guitars, the voice. But I hear elements of 60s & 70s folk rock, psychedelic folk, indie/alternative and fingerstyle acoustic guitar. To call it New Age or Singer Songwriter would be a disservice to the kind of well I’m pulling from here, but the elements are all there.
What did the recording process feel like for these releases versus some of your other works, such as Sagitta?
Sagitta was recorded with an early Massachusetts-based band of mine, Orchard, and we were TIGHT musical brothers at that point in time (and we still are!). They flew out to Chicago and we cut that record live off the floor in 3 days with John Abbey. If an element was assigned to that album it’d be Earth. Natural, raw, honest, powerful!
Watercolors was recorded in a week down in Lexington, Kentucky in a stone fucking castle (really, it’s got a turret and all that. Duane just needs a flag or two with a drawbridge and it’ll be straight up Scotland down there.) I was pretty much living in the studio, and the core of the tracks were laid down by me initially with Duane capturing the performances and adding his special ingredients. Very stream of consciousness; effortless, flowing. If it were an element, it’d be Water. We also brought in some AMAZING Lexington studio musicians to put the cherries on top. Lee Carrol on keys, Tripp Braxton on percussion, conga and djembe, Justin Craig on bass, Tom Hatnow on pedal steel (on Watercolors), and Maggie Lander on violin.
Which alternate tunings did you use in this album?
Open D, Open G, and some made up (I think) tunings such as CGDCBd and CGCGGe. Any guitar player knows if you fuck about on the guitar as you’re restringing it, you can find some cool stuff.
Can you tell us a bit about your experience composing these songs, and working with Duane Lundy?
I first met Duane while working with him on another project while in another band, The Jab. We hit it off and stayed in touch through the pandemic. During lockdown, we actually recorded three instrumental concept albums (Of Sea, Of Land and Of Sky) which you can find on streaming. Working with Duane, he makes it super comfortable to perform and be vulnerable artistically behind the mic. The instrumentals were “seeded” at home, but were all improvised in the studio. I believe they were the first or second takes. Except Watercolors— that was a one and done (also improvised). The songs with lyrics (like Tie Dye, Light, Backroads, and Take) were also written at home in my own creative space. I brought what I had to the studio and trusted the process. Duane is a gifted human, and he has a way about bringing out the best in you in high pressure situations. Plus, he and I share a lot of interests, between mediation, musical influences, and favorite records, which are an added bonuses!
Finally, which upcoming show location are you most excited to attend?
This is a bit far off, but I’m already super stoked for it— I’ll be featured in the Songwriters Showcase at Madame Zusu’s in Highland Park, IL on Saturday October 11th from 4 to 6pm.
New music on the way? Pitch Big Takeover Exclusives.
