Album Review: The First of Its Kind
by H. Murray. Published, March 15, 2021.
Do you ever get that feeling when listening to new music where you feel like you know the words to the song, although you’ve technically never heard it before? That’s exactly how it feels listening to “Out for Delivery,” the first movement in Suite Thing, and also the first track on Barron Ryan’s forthcoming album, The First of its Kind. The entire Suite feels familiar yet new, dabbling in popular genres while melding intricate rhythms and complex harmonies from the classical world.
Throughout Suite Thing, Ryan visits pop and rock music, soul, classic country, and calypso in the last movement, paying tribute to his father’s Trinidadian roots with a nod to steel pan music. In the preface of the score, Ryan writes, “I wanted each movement to sound as if it were a piano arrangement of a popular song that already existed.” And he does just that. It is the feel-good music we all need right now, mixed with the sophistication of a pianist who knows his way fluently around the keyboard. Equal parts virtuosity, joy, fun, and artistry, this Suite will put a skip in your step and a smile on your lips.
The second half of the album consists of Ryan’s Sonata in B-flat major, “Magic City” Op. 1. Originally composed for a performance at the University of Tulsa in 2019, Ryan took this as an opportunity to update a classical genre with his own “classic meets cool” stamp. He alludes to the sonata used as a model for his creation, dangling it like an extra fun treat, so if you think you’ve figured it out, please share because the answer escapes me. Again, Ryan infuses this work with multiple musical genres, fun, virtuosity, and an uncanny familiarity that makes hearing this music equal parts fresh and familiar.
This album feels like all my favorite songs that I’ve never heard before, arranged for solo piano.
It pairs excellently with a brisk walk outside, your favorite adult beverage, doing chores around the house, cooking dinner, or score study. I have listened to it in all these environments and enjoyed each setting equally. I find it to be the perfect soundtrack for all my daily habits that need a jolt of energy and a little more joy and a jolt of fresh energy.
About Barron:
Barron’s entire musical career has prepared him to compose music influenced by various sources. At six years old, he astounded house concert audiences with his skill at the shaker, recorder, and slide whistle.
As an undergraduate piano student he was known to perform jazz during recitals... against his piano professor’s wishes. When he’s not playing concerts around the world, he makes rap song videos featuring virtuoso kazoo playing.
Perhaps the best way to “meet” Barron without attending a live concert and before purchasing his forthcoming album is to watch his wild and inventive arrangements of popular songs like this one:
To listen to a teaser of the music and hear Barron offer some insight on his music, check out his website. The recording will be available on all major digital streaming platforms and through Amazon on March 23rd.