Review Summary: Charming indie pop without the frilly accessories
There is a ‘thing’ which indie artists often desperately try to convey. You know what I mean; that mildly edgy/carefree ambience with a hint of accessibility. Ryan Lerman does not try to do the ‘thing’, yet his music carries all of the aforementioned qualities.
Over the years, Lerman has gained recognition from touring as the guitarist for A Fine Frenzy as well as appearing in videos accompanying popular indie web duo, Pomplamoose. Subsequently, Lerman started his own Youtube channel in 2010, releasing ‘video songs’ showcasing his well-crafted indie pop which would eventually make up ‘Pinstripes the Sky’.
A significant realisation when watching Lerman’s videos is that with the exception of the orchestral instruments, he plays everything himself. Similarly, bar the Adele and Elliott Smith covers, Lerman wrote, arranged, performed, recorded, produced, mixed and mastered the whole album single-handedly. I think it would be fair to say that ‘Pinstripes the Sky’ is the definition of efficient music.
Clearly a technically gifted musician, the album stylistically bounces between the expected, the impressive and the unpredictable. ‘After the Fact’ and ‘Take your Own Advice’ are pretty, laid back acoustic tunes which one might anticipate to hear on an album like this. The genius of Lerman is that he refuses to dwell in these realms alone. He pays them a visit and continues on his way. The delightful ‘This is my Piano’ and ‘Laugh about your Problems’ have an almost musical theatre feel about them, whilst ‘Turning Blue’ and ‘Cellophane’ are full of captivating, moody charm.
Little features here and there ensure that ‘Pinstripes the Sky’ never falls into banal territory. The orchestral sections scattered about the album, create a polished, refined dimension to the songs, whilst the killer guitar tone gives things a feisty edge. Although his mumble-y vocals occasionally make him sound like a five year old man, this nonetheless becomes an endearing quality. Such character and intricacy gives Lerman the edge over other artists of his calibre and is proof that when the ‘thing’ comes from within, exciting things can be achieved.
