Bill Ryder-Jones pops up at Rough Trade to celebrate the release of his new album Yawn with an intimate set.
Bill Ryder-Jones is a brave man - calling your new album Yawn opens you up to some obvious one-word reviews if critics don’t like it. Fortunately, it’s a continuation of his beautiful, subtle indie-folk from its predecessor West Kirkby County Primary.
The set starts the same way as the album with There’s Something On My Mind. Bill then asks the audience if there are any songs from the album that we’d like to hear and a polite shout goes up for Mither. In between songs, Bill talks about his songwriting craft, how he writes the melodies first and introduces Recover as being about an ex.
He also manages to order a pint of Guinness from the stage and explains that he needs a couple of drinks to feel comfortable on stage but it can turn him into “a gobshite”.
After five songs from the new album, Bill asks the audience if they’d like to hear any older songs. After a few “wrong” suggestions we get Wild Roses before the set concludes with Put It Down Before You Break It. There is a delicate beauty to the music filled with, if not exactly sadness, then a certain melancholy. There are elements of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and early Badly Drawn Boy - it’s a great mix.
Bill Ryder-Jones tours next year and will be playing the Bodega on the 15th of February
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
