| “I’ve always had a strong affinity for New York City,” says former Yellowcard vocalist/guitarist WILLIAM RYAN KEY about the metropolitan city. “Ever since my first visit in 1999, I’ve felt drawn to it in some way.” Harnessing that allure of the city, Ryan bottled its energy and composed the new single “The Bowery” which gets released today. The first track to be unleashed from his second solo EP VIRTUE (release date: November 30, 2018 via The Lone Tree Recordings), “The Bowery” is a tender paean to the street in Manhattan’s East Village that was once the home of the legendary rock club CBGB’s. “I’ve spent a good amount of time there this year, and it really had a major influence on the lyrical themes that make up the EP,” he continues. “‘The Bowery’ is not just a song that reflects my love of the city; it’s also the first song to open the door to what comes next for me sonically.”
Following closely on the heels of Thirteen, his critically-lauded debut EP, Virtue is a natural progression from the stark and vulnerable predecessor. Currently still in the production process, the EP dives deeper into the contemplative nature he projected previously and this time, strikes a firmer footing. Still acoustically naked and emotionally raw, Ryan’s confidence in his own songwriting comes further into the foreground in ways that pull him farther away from the band he cut his teeth on and more and more into his own skin.
“With ‘Virtue’ I wanted to explore and expand on the sound I’ve discovered both musically and lyrically,” he says. “Similar to my first release, all of the songs came together in such a spontaneous manner. The recording sessions were very much driven by capturing what felt right in the moment, and moving on to the next idea.”
Virtue’s release will follow a Fall tour with friends MAYDAY PARADE. Kicking off Oct 2nd at Tallahassee’s The Moon, the tour circles North America including stops in Dallas (Oct. 9th), Chicago (Oct. 26), New York (Nov. 13) before returning to Florida for a tour ending date at Fort Lauderdale’s Revolution Live (Nov. 24).
“I’ve learned that when attempting to develop your own sound, it’s important to remove overthinking and over analyzing from the equation,” he concludes. “I’m really proud of these songs, and I can’t wait for people to hear them.” Virtue will be released November 30, 2018 via The Lone Tree Recordings.
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