Melbourne’s Steve Ryan-Gledhill has delivered something unusual; a pair of upbeat sounding ‘break-up’ songs in the form of a double A side single. The songs are from his forthcoming eponymous LP – due out later in the year.
End Of The Line, a foot-stomping country blues number is partnered beautifully with the swinging melody and rich horn riffs of It Happens Every Day. Both songs explore similar sentiments about the end of a relationship, but with completely different feels. And while the music sounds buoyant, the lyrics – given a more focused listen, juxtapose sad stories as old as time.
In End of the Line, the narrator is blindsided by events “I didn’t see it coming, didn’t stand a chance” with the sarcastic twist of “Woohoo” in the chorus seemingly trying to mask and dampen the dumpee’s hurt and surprise. The song, opening with the chorus, introduces the hook from the start.
Although recorded in the studio, a foot stomp and deliberate count in alongside background audience chatter and crowd participation (“I don’t have time for your merry dance”; crowd responds with “‘Cos’ I don’t dance!”) End Of The Line very much embraces a live feel.
It Happens Every Day is a co-write with author and broadcaster Justin Smith who wrote most of the lyrics, with Ryan-Gledhill on music writing duties, the latter explaining “the chord sequence over the Introduction and Verses cried out for a swing feel enhanced by the Brass figure which bubbles throughout the song.”
The lyrics describe the regret, frustration and sense of helplessness, along with some bitterness around a relationship clearly in its final throes. “When you change baby, I’ll have you cold. This could have been the greatest story never told”. The songs showcase the range of style and genre Steve Ryan-Gledhill so comfortably inhabits and work well as an introduction to an artist whose music defies easy categorisation.