Are We Hunting is the moniker of Santa Cruz, CA-based poet and songwriter Ryan Ayala. Ayala is currently working on his first full-length album. The yet-to-be-titled album is being produced by musical director/composer David Coulter. Coulter is a former member of the Pogues and long-time Tom waits collaborator.
Ayala brings his natural knack for storytelling to life on the folksy and warm “Portland’s Got Me Me Beat.” The new single has the artist spinning a captivating tale over gentle acoustics with a rustic sound that is juxtaposed by subtle yet lush backing vocals. The artist’s use of imagery brings the listener into the scene Ayala is painting, miraculously creating an all-encompassing song with the use of simplistic folk. The lyrics are delivered through the intoxicating authenticity of Ayala’s voice. The bluesy vocal performances add another quaint element to “Porland’s Got Me Beat,” evoking a nostalgic feeling while still staying modern and present. Ayala’s new single is a down-to-earth anthem with imaginative storytelling that gets better and more detailed with every listen.
“‘Portland’s Got Me Beat’ was written about an artist friend of mine who told me he was leaving Los Angeles and moving to Portland to get more serious about his art,” explains Ayala. “I guess by getting more serious about his art, he meant doing speed with a bunch of redneck strippers. Fine with me, I just didn’t know that’s what he meant.”
