If pop is known for its infectious qualities, indie for a whole bunch of cooler moves, folk for deftness and, when required, delicacy and rock music for its more energetic urges, at a place where those all mix and match, you find “Easy,” the new one from Ryan O’Connell.
But more than the clever spinning of generic plates that make this song what it is, the vibe (maaan!) he creates pushes everything home. It’s a vibe created by personality rather than playing, attitude rather than acoustics, and it is this that always makes the difference between a good song and a great one.
And the vibe here is one of relaxed contentment, effortlessness and experience, and a perfect combination of wit and wisdom. All the things that can’t be taught in music school, the things that usually only come from weeks on the road, months in the studio, and years studying the craft. And, perhaps just as important, from living life. After all, how will you write that great song without a great story? And how do you get that great story without getting out there and living life to the full? (Although, as we find here, sometimes doing nothing and taking things “Easy” can also inspire a song, but then again, you can only take a break if you have actually been doing something!)
It’s what Ryan O’Connell has done. You can hear his life experience dripping from every word he utters and every note he plays.
