Blending a strong singer/songwriter sensibility to his lyrics, Ryan Kinder’s debut single ‘Kiss Me When I’m Down” sounds fresh and familiar at the same time. Produced by Keith Stegall, John Kelton and Jen Ketner, “Kiss Me When I’m Down” is a strong unique song to debut with. The lyrics find Ryan Kinder on a plane heading back to that girl he cannot shake from his heart, the one who wanted time and space to breathe out of the relationship.
It’s a very cinematic lyric and the production team adds to the cinematic nature of “Kiss Me When I’m Down” with cascading pianos and guitars in the chorus and a muted, soft-rock approach to the verses of the song. The piano is as percussive as the bass in this production and backs the passionate one of a kind for Country music vocal from Ryan Kinder. It’s a vocal approach that might rub some folks wrong but for me it’s the main thing — outside of the lyrics — that sets Ryan Kinder apart. There’s just nobody like him in modern, mainstream Country music, an artist with a tinge of the attitude of an alt-rocker with the power and soul of a classic rock or R&B artist.
It remains to be seen if the mainstream of Country radio will fall in love with “Kiss Me When I’m Down,” Ryan Kinder’s debut single but it won’t be for a lack of trying as perhaps the only other artist in all of Country music who could pull off these kinds of songs would be Gary Allan. That, for me, is what makes Ryan Kinder stand out. He’s unique in a sea of sameness and “Kiss Me When I’m Down” is just his opening salvo.
0 Comments