Sometimes it’s all in a name.
That is to say that the name Rich Ragany conjures up a certain something. After all, he’s been in The Role Models, The Loyalties, and most recently Rich Ragany And The Digressions, and all of them are marvellous. But all are the type of rock n’ roll that allows people like me to talk about Dogs D’Amour a lot.
This, though. Well this, it’s all in the name of the album. “You Can Get Dark With Me” is, as it hints, more personal and reflective, and has a totally different feel to anything the UK-based, New York-raised; Canadian-born singer has done before.
It all began as home demos, and they were recorded live before Simon Maxwell (also in the Loyalties) and Ricky McGuire (once of The UK Subs) added their touches.
Right from the beginning of “Empty And Free,” it’s clear we’ve entered a brave new world. Sure, there’s energy here, and sure there’s a hook you can’t forget, but it’s very different, both in lyrics and tone.
“A Pleasant Fiction” – the first reveal from this way back in early spring – features Ken Mochikoshi-Horne of The Bronx, but beneath the pleasant strum, there’s the horror of addiction.
The title track is not far from balladry (certainly there are Americana artists who get famous for less), and its harmony vocals are sensational.
Just in case there was any doubt, the post-punk atmosphere that “Sierra Bonita” creates reaffirms that Rich Ragany is treading a different path here. Possibly the high water mark, it’s a wonderful song.
They all are, actually. “Tragic Celebration” has a soaring, near indie rock chorus, and it’s exquisitely done, bringing to mind Cast’s live performance the other week.
Not a lengthy record, nonetheless, it brims with ideas. The tinkling piano and ragged troubadour flavour of “Reach Out” might have you dusting off your early Jesse Malin records, and Ragany urging you to “Never stop dreaming” before searching for “Something To Believe In” seems key. As if he’s reminding himself to do both.
“The Great Nothing” is simultaneously one of the most strident yet darkest here, while “Shine Around Me” finds him “sitting around waiting for a change that never comes.” Unless, I guess, you go and make it happen, which is why the Springsteen-ish “We’re Alive Anyway” looks on the bright side.
And it’s noticeable that the last couple, with “Worth” playing us out, are more like the slower end of the Digressions. “I never said I quit,” he sings in the chorus, and you can’t imagine it.
In some ways, he’s going back full-circle circle here, recording some with producer Russell Broom back in his native Calgary, and that perhaps, as much as anything, is what makes this what it is. Recording at home, on the fly, and working on those demos a bit like Springsteen circa Nebraska, makes this more than a digression. “You Can Get Dark With Me” is a brilliant departure, a thrilling journey, and proves what was already clear: Rich Ragany is as good as it gets.
Rating: 9/10
