Record Review: Serena Ryder – Is It O.K.
Millbrook’s Serena Ryder made waves with her 2006 collection of covers If Your Memory Serves You Well. The record showcased the then-22-year-old’s formidable vocal talents and her abilities as an arranger, but was dragged down by three of her own creations. The 13 self-penned songs on Is It OK are vast improvements, but Ryder has yet to find the song to elevate her above the teeming hordes of female folk-rockers. “Little Bit of Red” showcases a distinctive voice that inexplicably mixes Alanis Morissette’s shrill highs and Amanda Marshall’s raspy lows. But too many songs here employ typical love-and-loss lyrical tropes. Ryder has the pipes. Now she just needs to find her voice.
This review originally appeared in the November 12 edition of EYE WEEKLY.
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“if the music’s loud enough…” is a blog about music and all the baggage that comes with it (generally a certain level of geekdom). In my day to day life I’m a journalist (ie: paid writer) and a lot of the content here is stuff I wrote for other publications and websites complete with real interviews with *gasp* actual rock stars (!). I’ve got a journalism degree from the University of King’s College in Halifax (although I’m originally from Vancouver) which let’s me do that sort of thing (though if you don’t have one you shouldn’t let that stop you). I’m now writing for a pair of music mags in Toronto. The rest of the site is made up of me posting and commenting on stuff I like, want to make fun of or that I find just plain infuriating. I’m actually pretty lazy, and not as “with it” as I was in my youth (27 is the new underage!?!) so this won’t be teeming with the most cutting edge, got it before anyone else content. But it will be good, except where applicable. If you want to get in touch with me or want to send me free stuff (it could happen…) drop me, Ian Gormely, a note at ifthemusicsloudenough@gmail.com. Enjoi and play nice kids…
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