Functioning Dysfunctionals is the latest album from Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Wayne, following his critically acclaimed 2023 release, Crow Amongst the Sparrows (Ruby-Lu Records). A richly woven collection, it balances raw, metaphorical storytelling with immersive production, shifting between quiet intimacy and full-band intensity. The album takes its name from its lead track, a phrase coined by Ryan’s wife, Sarah Craig McEathron. Functioning Dysfunctionals is now available everywhere.
“Between These Walls” is the moving standout from Wayne’s latest LP. The soulful indie rock ballad features soothing melodies that drop off emotionally-charged lyrics for a stunning piece of twangy rock that reaches out of the speaker and grabs your soul. With the help of warping guitars, subtle horns, and smooth drums, Wayne puts on a palpable performance about searching for a sense of self. The lyrics act as an apparition that moves from one sonic tone shift to the next, as the arrangement seamlessly transitions from heartfelt soft rock to jazzy solos. “Between These Walls” only skims the surface of the poetic prowess of Functioning Dysfunctionals, and it should be the only reason you need to go and listen to the rest of Wayne’s latest. The album highlight is vulnerable, infectious, and overall, a testament to Wayne’s fearless artistry.
“I wrote ‘Between These Walls’ while traveling in Costa Rica, in the aftermath of suffering a couple of strokes. It came from a feeling I couldn’t quite name—like drifting through rooms, landscapes, even relationships, without ever fully landing,” explains Wayne. “The song lives in that space between presence and impermanence, quietly asking whether we’re building something lasting or just passing through. Writing it was a way to sit with that uncertainty, without needing to solve it.”
