In a world where songs tend to be overproduced, overwrought, and overthought, it is nice to come across an artist happy to leave the music reasonably unpolished. And I mean that not in any detrimental way, but to underline the fact that Ryan Edward Kotler is content with letting the music do the talking.
And this is never so true as on the opening track of his new EP, Waiting For Dawn, and his take on the Hank Williams classic, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” which feels as old and authentic as the original, except for the intrusions of stylophone (?) that seems like a deliberate effort to throw the listener off kilter, which is always to be applauded.
And even when the rest of the EP kicks in, and the production seems merely to soften, warm, and polish, the song’s simple approaches are the charm here. “Waiting Around To Die” still feels cast in that old-time country mold, swathed in cinematic string-infused sonics.
“Give My Love To Rose” echoes the dark drama of the Johhny Cash original, “Barbriallen” captures the folksy sweetness and innocence of Joan Baez and “House of The Rising Sun” reminds those who have only heard the big production of The Animals version that the song has its roots in 1930’s Appalachian music.
All too often, artists try to add something to the songs they cover, too much, aiming to make them bigger, better, and more contemporary as if they feel that those songs should be improved. I love that Ryan Edward Kotler goes the other way and restores such songs to their simple and effective original vibe so that they are both fresh and yet remain faithful. And that is a very difficult balance to get right.
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