Canadian JUNO winner Serena Ryder whittles the album Is It O.K. with her vocal judder, her trusty guitar and the rare occasion of a harmonica. She started out in 1999 with her first independent CD release, Falling Out; nine years later, she’s still only twenty-five. Ryder, with her apropos western name, must be kissing too many frogs as her croon incessantly focuses on the fuss and hang-ups of relationships. It’s been labeled as contemporary folk or pop, but there’s shades of country and good old rock n’ roll, and it consorts well with her rasping song. Deep and simple, simple enough for possibly radio play, she calls for her darling, “Let your skin be my hiding place, I promise I won’t take up too much room.” And she doesn’t gussy up her tracks, from Sweeping the Ashes to Dark as the Black. An easy read, and classic sounding as it may be, the album might not stick too long on your shuffle; even if she sings about a Brand New Love, her melody is not that brand new. Tap to the guitar anyway, call in sick, and get Weak in the Knees to the artist “poised to present herself to American audiences” with her Atlantic Records debut; Billboard, after all, did declare the songstress to be one of ‘Canada’s Most Promising’. Serena Ryder is All for Love, “One world, One love,” and there could be a musical prince out there, maybe not just yet, but somewhere.
Key Tracks: Dark as the Black, Hiding Place, Little Bit of Red, Brand New Love
Moods: Reflective, Autumnal, Self-Conscious, Yearning, Searching, Poignant
Buy: Is It O.K.
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- Frank Black to Release Album of Erotic Themed Songs
