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One of Western North Carolina’s most accomplished musicians is also one of its youngest. Ian Ridenhour has been busily writing and recording music for years; Ribcage<\/i> is the third collection of songs from the 17 year old singer, songwriter and musician.<\/p>\n
Ridenhour’s full-length debut was 2014’s Quietly Making Noise<\/i>; that 14-song album showed his deep and wide-ranging creativity, channeled through a sensibility that drew from classic pop as well as modern-, indie- and post-rock influences. But try as he might on that set of songs, he couldn’t help but sound like what he was: a youngster.<\/p>\n
The occasionally fussy approach to arranging that characterized the still-developing talent of four years ago has given way to a more self-assured methodology. On Ribcage<\/i>, Ridenhour seems less concerned with displaying the breadth of his talent, and more comfortable with exploring its depth.<\/p>\n
What that means in practical terms is that Ribcage<\/i> is a more musically focused collection of songs, one that helps listeners develop a sense of Ridenhour’s rapidly coalescing musical personality. The six-song release opens with \u201cStay Awake,\u201d a hypnotic, slow-burning funk stomper with occasionally angry, even petulant lyrics. If Mayer Hawthorne were less retro-minded, he might come up with a tune like \u201cStay Awake.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHa! Ha!\u201d is sharp-edged piano pop a la Ben Folds, with more than its share of subtlety. Ridenhour makes effective use of musical shade and light; he’s unafraid to take a cue from progressive rock, veering deftly between quiet, near-silent passages and loud, raucous bits. But he wraps it all inside a catchy melody.<\/p>\n
\u201cWaiting for the Sun\u201d is a radio-ready tune; though its melody and arrangement seem more than a little familiar, such where-have-I-heard-this familiarity is often a key to winning over new listeners. And on that level, \u201cWaiting for the Sun\u201d should succeed. Listeners will have to pay close attention to appreciate it, but the song also provides a showcase for Ridenhour’s impressive skills as a lyricist.<\/p>\n
There’s a jazzy feel to \u201cBones of Me.\u201d Ridenhour employs both acoustic and 1970s-flavored electric piano on this soulful number. Like \u201cHa! Ha!\u201d it alternates between two very different musical approaches, and ultimately rocks more than is typical of a keyboard-centered tune.<\/p>\n
The sophisticated \u201cExoskeleton\u201d opens with a tasty bass guitar line quite reminiscent of \u2013 but at a legally safe distance from \u2013 the Jackson Five’s \u201cI Want You Back.\u201d The song’s arrangement places Ridenhour in a musical setting the likes of which Bruno Mars (or even Ray LaMontagne on the right day) would find comfortable. The tune’s horn chart work recalls Quietly Making Noise<\/i>, but shows just how far Ridenhour has traveled musically in the years since making his debut album.<\/p>\n
Ribcage<\/i> closes with \u201cYou Help Me Fall Asleep,\u201d a track that was first released as a single in December. The tune manages to fold in all of Ridenhour’s many musical virtues \u2013 musicianship, songwriting, arranging, vocals and lyrics \u2013 into what is by far the most sweeping and ambitious tune on an already superb EP.<\/p>\n
At under 24 minutes, Ribcage<\/i> delivers less quantity than the average album (that’s why it’s billed as an EP), but in terms of quality, it’s not lacking in the least.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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