Ryn Weaver's 'The Fool' Misses The Mark

3,946,613. That’s quite a large number. One minute thirty seconds of music. A small amount of time, I think you would agree. But those figures are hugely important.

When Weaver posted the snippet of the single ‘Octahate’ in June 2014 on Souncloud, I doubt she and her team realised it would be so successful. It’s a great debut single. Also, having high profile online endorsements from various other artists together with top notch production teams didn’t do the release any harm. The song also reached number one on Billboard Emerging Artists Chart on June 25, 2014. They even deemed the single a viral sensation.  However the debut album ‘The Fool’  confuses me.

The opening track ‘Runaway’ opens with atmospheric sounds and vocals and develops onto a heavy percussion track, whilst two tracks on we are treated to a totally different, near anthem foot stomping sound entitled ’Pierre’. It’s difficult to judge who the album is aimed at style wise. This may have been intentional, in an attempt to showcase Weavers range, however it makes difficult listening.

Halfway into the album I’m finding myself waiting for the next song, hoping that it will excite me enough to make up for the last track, but unfortunately that never happens. It’s an uncomfortable listen at times. It’s an album that suffers from an identity crises. At one moment the listener hears an angst ridden pop tune, whilst else where you are listening to a warm fireside folkster sing-along.

It’s as though it’s an album that’s made up of sessions from different periods of a long career. However that is not the case. That aside, Ryn performed to rave reviews recently at the Billboard first ever Hot 100 Festival, and the American release has boasted more than 13,000 units in its first week. Maybe I’m just not ready for ‘The Fool’.

To find out more about Ryn Weaver click here.

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Words by Lawrence Taylor

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