‘90s lo-fi and ‘00s garage rock lives on in the form of Ryan O’Connell and his new album, The Weather’s Been Fine.
By Graeme Smith
The Weather’s Been Fine is a five-track EP that O’Connell self-defines as “Domestic Surrealism.”
Musically, he draws from the likes of early Beck and Pavement, redefining the sound through his own perspective and giving it a modern edge. He recorded his new EP entirely in a humid Atlanta kitchen using just an SM57 and a condenser mic and the recording process, refrigerator hums and ambient buzzes included, enhances his sound.
But the real heart of the collection is its lyrics, turning mundane domesticity into something quite unexpected. The idea is to use humour to disarm the anxiousness and burnout of a monotonous life filled with small but necessary chores, and O’Connell does this in an engaging way. “Turned away a second but the ants took the memo / Said, ‘kid you’re a punchline that no one knows’,” goes Cannonball Man. “I feed the mailman decoy notes / Rolled into the arms of his overcoats,” goes Mirror Coat.
The EP kicks off in frenetic style with Cannonball Man. A driving, raw guitar riff greets us before O’Connell’s laidback vocals quickly join them. The Beck influences are immediately apparent, with subtle folk and country elements under the foreground of slacker rock.
Bleach Dreams slows things down, stripping back to an unashamedly demo quality. The vocals are melancholic, world-weary, perfectly reflecting the themes of the album. Mirror Coat follows, providing a mid-EP highlight through its cantering rhythm, punk elements, and bombast.
Peak Gold feels like a Lou Reed-esque throwback, pairing a hypnotic rhythm and narrative-driven lyrics. Title track The Weather’s Been Fine closes the EP with a slight catharsis. It’s only 90 seconds long but has a depth that makes it feel much bigger. A lingering finish will stay with you.
In a world that is becoming every more defined by polish and technology, The Weather Been’s Fine offers a reassuringly analogue experience. It’s a wilful rejection of a creeping reliance on appliances, turning them into an insidious enemy which cause more harm than good. It’s definite food for thought.
Hailing from Atlanta, USA, Ryan O’Connell is a growing presence on social media and across the blogosphere. I’m so glad he’s now on our radar.
You can keep up to date with him by following him on Spotify, Bandcamp, and Instagram.
The Weather’s Been Fine is out now, and you can give it a listen below.
Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator
