In a musical world full of gravitas and scene steeling vocalists, its not often a lead singer of a band can step out solo and win the respect and awe of listeners from the get-go without any flaws. Take Ryan LeVine who brings a tenaciously soulful approach to folks and root music nn his forthcoming EP, Good Things To Remember, out October 22.
At the end of 2018, Ryan LeVine’s life cracked down the center. His band of six years, Wildling, called it quits and his relationship with “the one,” fell apart. Like it always had been, songwriting was the only tool he knew to use as a means of processing the loss and confusion. This time however, he traded elaborate home demos for simple voice memos and focused a lot more on the songwriting rather than the production. Ryan started recording the EP in early 2020 at Boulevard Studios in Los Angeles and then connected with his co-producer Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Ray LaMontagne) to finish the songs at Kevin’s home studio later that spring. The result was an introspective body of work which reveals a songwriter searching for answers. While he may not always find them, there is a resolving sense of peace that comes from the process.
About the first single “Signs,” Ryan shares, “It speaks to feelings of self-doubt, lack of faith, and apathy. I’m vulnerable here, even wounded, and unsure of how to move forward. I like how the song doesn’t exactly resolve or answer any of its questions. There’s an awareness of the state I’m in and a desire to move through it, but no real answers yet. Ultimately, I’m okay to sit with that uncertainty.”
Glide is proud to premiere the video for “Signs” where Levine showers us with his emotive vocals that spawn the low key experimental mood swings of The National up through Hozier.
“Signs is probably my favorite record from the EP. Both writing and recording it felt so effortless, almost like it existed already. I think we only did three or four takes live to tape, and basically had a finished record within 10 hours. I wanted the video to have that same feeling of effortlessness; Even though the song was written in Los Angeles, I was longing for trees, nature, space while writing it. I had never been to Idyllwild before, but thought it would be the perfect backdrop for this song. Plus I’m pretty obsessed with bouldering, and Idyllwild is home to some of the best boulders in CA, so that may have had something to do with choosing it as a location,” says LeVine.
