If the previous single “Insomnia” was a hushed, early-hours meditation on sleepless nights and troubled thoughts, “By My Side” shifts the focus somewhat, where there was once a sense of loss, now there is a feeling of longing.
Where that earlier song suggested absence and probably abandonment, both factors that the narrator has, to a degree, already accepted, here the connection remains very much alive. This is not about someone gone, but someone still present in heart and mind, just physically far away.
Interestingly, Ryan Edward Kotler opts for the same core elements as before, namely an acoustic guitar, voice, and a backdrop of sweeping and seductive strings (okay, with a subtle beat added this time), yet he uses them to craft something far more upbeat, a song with an infectious lilt and an easy groove, a slice of danceable folk-pop that feels both accessable and emotionally grounded. And that speaks volumes about his skill and versatility; the same few building blocks, very different resulting sonic architecture.
At its core, this is a song about longing, a feeling most people recognize. Miles may separate people, but even when they are worlds apart, a genuine connection has a way of enduring. Time and distance might be barriers, but that doesn’t mean that they are not always on your mind.
A pop song that has matured or a folk tune with a commercial edge? Perhaps both…you decide. Either way, it’s a great song.
