bill ryder jones – Austin Town Hall

I Was a King Announce Until the End

August 15, 2025 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

If you’ve been following the storied career of Norway’s I Was a King, then you’re likely going to take a close listen to their new single, with the group spending more time on the melodic core rather than some of their power-pop tendencies. That said, if you’ve listened to the group’s work, they’ve always hung on the softer side of the genre, and they dive into that vibe here in a way that has them sounding like they’re dusting off some old tendencies and pushing forward. I love Anne Lise’s light backing notes layered behind Frode’s lead, providing the textured love the group is known for creating. They completed the work on Until the End with Bill Ryder-Jones, so we should expect something meaningful coming our way on October 17th.

<a href="https://iwak.bandcamp.com/album/until-the-end">Until The End by I Was A King</a>

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Amelia Coburn Shares Peek at Debut LP

November 8, 2023 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

There’s been a bit of buzz overseas about Amelia Coburn, especially when Bill Ryder-Jones signed on to work with Amelia for her debut LP. Today, we get this great bit of dramatic pop that puts Coburn’s gifts on full-display. There’s this playfulness to the video version of the tune, something hinting at the magical notions that are toyed with in the lyrical content. Musically, this is pop of another era, though fittingly, right at home as everything old becomes news. Sweeping strings and bounding bits of old-time keys give the track proper movement as the tune pushes the vocals high into the mix. A nice introduction; we should know more about the new LP as the new year dawns.

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Zachary Vito is Brook Terrace + Preps Debut LP

November 10, 2022 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

Zachary Vito is no stranger to the indie scene, having played with Sonny and the Sunsets and April Magazine, among others, but now they are releasing a new LP under the Brook Terrace moniker. Now, I’ve spent several repeat sessions listening to this single, and every time I come back, I get those little raised hairs on my arm, like the first time I heard Elliott Smith. You’ll find the same intimacy in the vocals, like sharing a detailed whispering conversation with a dear friend. One spot Vito strikes out on his own is with some of the more wayward guitar excursions, no doubt influenced by spending time with producer Bill Ryder-Jones. The Brook Terrace LP is shaping up to be quite special, so keep an eye out for its release on December 16th.

<a href="https://brookterrace.bandcamp.com/album/brook-terrace">Brook Terrace by Brook Terrace</a>

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Give Zachary Vito a Chance

February 22, 2019 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

When Zachary Vito‘s new single came across my radar, it did so with a Teenage Fanclub influence mentioned. I can hear a little bit of that in this single, particularly in the evolution of the song’s central melody. But, more than that, I hear this quiet elegance that seems fragile and wistful, almost as if a great song was written only to watch if fall apart before you. Zachary’s voice also has this personable quality to its softness, reminiscent of E. Smith at his most vulnerable. Word has it that a full-length isn’t too far off, with Bill Ryder Jones handling production.

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