The state of the planet is a recurring theme throughout the record. Lyrically, the song appears to take place in a world void of trees – a thinly-veiled environmental message. KEY TRACK: ‘The Ground Walks, with Time In a Box’Ī six-minute stomper with Brock’s trademark rhythmic guitar work.

Brock deconstructs music genres like rock, folk, country and new-wave, then filters them through his cinematic subconscious and rebuilds them in a fiercely unique way. And while the group’s hiatus was far from ideal, the wait was worth it.

It’s been eight years since Modest Mouse fans could re-enter the mind of songwriter Isaac Brock. Through simple lyrics and arrangements Walker conjures a melody that builds and builds into something timeless. This may yet prove to be the breakthrough record of 2015. Primrose Green is a nod to past folk masters, with Walker’s influences incredibly evident, but his pastoral soundscapes are just too sublime to not be swept up in. Walker’s a gifted guitarist and occasionally indulges the listener during longer psych-folk jams like ‘Sweet Satisfaction’. The result is stunning and mysterious, and a truly breathtaking listen. Echoing of early Van Morrison, Jim Morrison and Tim Buckley, Walker’s warm, textured voice howls hypnotic repeated lines over waves of distorted feedback, kinetic and shamanistic drums and jazz piano flourishes. His sophomore effort is nothing short of masterful. Here’s a bunch of records you need to hear.Ĭhicago singer-songwriter Ryley Walker has followed up last year’s debut record, All Kinds of You, an impressive folk songbook, with Primrose Green. It’s going to be a mammoth task to create a “best of 2015” list given the quality that has already landed. The Decemberists dropped their glorious What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World in January, Bjork’s latest masterpiece appeared instantly following its online leak and Modest Mouse graced us with their first new music in eight years. Superb records are arriving thick and fast in 2015.

Ryley walker primrose green lyrics