Review: Ryan Yard – Reset 21

Here are 21 sentences to describe Ryan Yard’s new album for January 2021.

  • Ryan Yard is a man of many talents, known well for his post-classical strings and piano compositions and his in-depth knowledge and appreciation of Mike Oldfield’s music.
  • Breaking away from the past, he strives to assert his own compositional voice with new textures, moods and a completely new dissonant orchestral language.
  • It’s a limited run of 25 CDs – no streaming or downloads and no audio advertising.
  • Trust and buy and support a talented self-employed musician.
  • I feel it’s a response to the tragedies of the past year and the need to reset ourselves for 2021
  • Most tracks feature samples of important speeches by well know people over dark and menacing textures and a great audio mix and soundscape, great on a decent sound system and also on headphones to fully immerse yourself in the detail.
  • Strong language may offend younger ears!
  • Each CD will be signed and feature an individual message inside the booklet.
  • There are specific titles for each movement but you will have to work hard to find them.
  • Ryan’s Patreon supporters will get the CD for free.
  • Reset 1 – Most excellent George Carlin comments on God’s will.
  • Reset 2 – Dark powerful Electric Guitar. Orchestral power. Apocalyptic mood.
  • Reset 3 – Frank Zappa talking bad motives and politics over flutey minimalism and electric textures.
  • Reset 4 – Enigmatic solo voice and orchestral passages give time for reflection.
  • Reset 5 – Richard Dawkins with a seriously quirky piano and string accompaniment somewhere between Steve Reich and IceBreaker.
  • Reset 6 – Christopher Hitchens; Punchy strings set up a great orchestral pop groove.
  • Reset 7 – Klaus Schwab sees the need for action and a great reset. Cello and piano but dark.
  • Reset 8 – The album culminates with an extended 14 minute dissonant orchestral climax and a return to George Carlin, waxing lyrical over political control.
  • A powerful and dark album cathartically shedding the skin of 2020.
  • How will Ryan follow this?
  • Order your copy here

Comments are closed.