| A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 8 April 2013 | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 48:00 | |||
| Label | Domino | |||
| Producer | Bill Ryder-Jones, James Ford (add.), Darren Jones (add.) | |||
| Bill Ryder-Jones chronology | ||||
| ||||
A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart is the second studio album by English musician Bill Ryder-Jones. It was released in April 2013 under Domino Records.
Ryder-Jones recorded the album in an upstairs bedroom of his mother's house in Liverpool, England, with members of By the Sea as the backing band. The recordings were produced by Ryder-Jones himself, while it was mixed by James Ford and Darren Jones [1]
James Christopher Monger of Allmusic described the album as an "equally evocative, yet more traditional collection of songs that suggest what Nick Drake might have sounded like had he emerged in the early oughts instead of the late '60s." [2] In addition, Monger felt that the release "never feels like a self-absorbed, autobiographical bore, as Jones' is an enigmatic enough narrator and a gifted enough arranger that what initially seems like ephemera turns out to be surprisingly affecting." [2] At The Fly , Edward Devlin wrote that Ryder-Jones is "a skilled arranger with a keen eye for detail. This surprisingly assured collection of songs sounds like the work of a seasoned songwriter." [3] Barry Nicolson of NME said that the effort is "not maudlin or cynical, but often quite comical", and noted that the music is being "delivered in a hushed, semi-spoken voice that frequently sounds like it’s trying to slunk out of the musical foreground. Once you’ve accustomed yourself to the sedate pace, something haunting, stately and – in a small-scale, arthousey sort of way – cinematic gradually reveals itself." [4] The area of production was touched on by In Your Speakers' Theresa Flanagan who wrote that Ryder-Jones is "a well-seasoned veteran of the music industry and it shows in the well-crafted production, not so much in his genuinely humble affect." [5] At Q , James Oldham highlighted that the album is "melancholic, tauntly-arranged and given warmth by Arctic Monkeys collaborator James Ford's sparse production". [6]
At musicOMH, Martin Headon wrote that "there's more than enough here to establish Ryder-Jones as a serious solo artist – all it needs is one more notch on the self-confidence dial, and that potential could translate into astounding results." [7] Soundblab's Dan Clay told that the listener "leave[s] [...] feeling fully immersed, satisfied and impressed." [8] This Is Fake DIY's Johnny Owen told that "while his vocal delivery sounds as though he’s having to force each word out through cracked lips at the end of a long night, the accompanying music fits perfectly" because it contains "a certain world-worn raggedness." [9] At The 405, Mike Emerson felt that "the album could do with a couple more stand out moments both musically and vocally, however, as far as singer-songwriter albums go, this one stands out a mile." Furthermore, Emerson told that "the straight forward nature of the album doesn't do it any harm whatsoever, yet a lack of any major shift in tempo doesn't do it many favours", and that the truthfulness "really connects, and when distributed with such a softly spoken vocal the songs don't struggle to become quite hypnotising." [10] Dean Van Nguyen of Pitchork wrote that Ryder-Jones "vocal is dulled and rasping throughout, and the songs never blossom like those on If..., seemingly hamstrung by his limited range." [11] At the Metro , Amy Rose Dawson felt that the album "showcase[s] [...] more conventional songwriting in the indie folk vein, big on delicate guitar strumming and pretty piano chords." [12]
In terms of lyrics, Devin evoked that "the cathartic lyrics paint vivid pictures and emotional scenes throughout, while the grandeur of the compositions and stirring melodies lift the confessional bedroom ballads from potential despair to salvation." [3] Headon felt that Ryder-Jones "skills as an songwriter and arranger are clearly evident – each song builds with subtlety and restraint, and there’s a neat rhythmic twist halfway through Anthony & Owen that brings his former band to mind." [7] Owen told that Ryder-Jones "resides firmly in singer-songwriter territory, occupying a space somewhere between fellow Domino alumni Elliott Smith and Bill Callahan." [9] Emerson wrote that "there are soft guitars meandering slowly through gracious flows of percussion, as drifts of piano keys wash over the surface. Hushed, and often heartbreaking lyrics are ushered into proceedings and at first, everything seems quite basic. After a few plays of the album, you begin to appreciate the beauty of the arrangements, and realise that the structure of these tracks is undoubtedly the reason for their success." [10] In addition, Emerson said that the album "takes somewhat of a step backwards in complexity, albeit with more overall components involved. It's more of a back to basics singer-songwriter album, put together with a 20/20 eye for composition." [10] Van Nguyen noted how "If...'s more sweeping arrangements, playing to Ryder-Jones’s strengths, which are not insignificant, if sadly underused here." [11] Dawson told that "the lyrics are very personal but pleasingly subtle, and Ryder-Jones can write a nice tune, but the whole thing starts to drift into one after a few tracks." [12]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
| The Fly | [3] |
| Metro | [12] |
| Mojo | [13] |
| musicOMH |  [7] |
| NME | 8/10 [4] |
| The Observer | [14] |
| Q | [6] |
| This Is Fake DIY | 7/10 [9] |
| Uncut | 8/10 [15] |
A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart has received almost universally positive reception from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a "weighted average" score to ratings and reviews from selected mainstream music critics, the Metascore for the album is a 78, which is based on 10 reviews. [16] At AnyDecentMusic?, they have a "weighted average" rating of a 7.3-out-of-ten that is based on 11 reviews. [17]
James Christopher Monger of Allmusic called it a "measured, melancholy, and mysterious, Jones' debut as a singer/songwriter is as subtle as it is striking, skillfully marrying the sedate melancholy of Elliott Smith with the sly, darkly comic lyricism of The National." [2] At The Fly , Edward Devlin evoked that it is "an intimate and very British release to cherish and hold close; it also happens to be one of the year’s best so far." [3] Barry Nicolson of NME proclaimed it to be "a meticulously crafted album." [4] At The Observer , Phil Mongredien told that "there's a disarming openness to the lyrics and a warmth to the arrangements that make this an album that rewards repeated listening." [14]
Theresa Flanagan of In Your Speakers rated the album a 76-out-of-100, and affirmed that it "is a pretty big step out of the shadows for Ryder-Jones, which is clear in the genre-appropriate intimate vulnerability of the album." [5] At Uncut , Jim Wirth noted how "the results are extraordinary." [15] James Oldham of Q wrote that the album has "takes on a conventional band set-up, but it's as impressive, offering a crisply original take on the classic singer-songwriter approach." [6] In addition, Oldham proclaimed Ryder-Jones "a true talent to keep an eye on." [6] At Mojo , Lois Wilson highlighted that "the resulting songs [...] [are] beautifully built around guitar, piano, drums and strings [...] [and] are as their psycho-geography would suggest, intimate autobiographies, about ruined relationships." [13]
At musicOMH, Martin Headon alluded to how the release is "an intriguing prospect" that is "a brave album [...] predictably melancholy and unassuming, perhaps, but also highly accomplished and sometimes deeply affecting." [7] Dan Clay of Soundblab rated that album a 7.5-out-of-ten, and told that Ryder-Jones has "honed his melodic skills" because he has "emerged from jangly-pop kings The Coral," with an album that has a "melancholy feel." [8] At This Is Fake DIY , Johnny Owen found that "while it had to have taken some stones to leave his comfort zone and decide to go his own way with no safety net, it seems like it was a gamble that’ll pay off for both him and us", and this leaves "any doubts though have [arisen], with 'A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart', [have] been well and truly dispelled." [9] Mike Emerson of The 405 rated the album a 7-out-of-ten, and called it "a luxurious listen." [10]
However, Dean Van Nguyen of Pitchfork rated that album a 5.2-out-of-10.0, and noted how the album has "a clumsy title," but found "what's most disappointing about the album is how Ryder-Jones has almost completely abandoned taking any sonic risks." [11] At the Metro , Amy Rose Dawson evoked that the release "provides some momentary oomph [...] but this is ultimately music for those who find the likes of Damien Rice over-stimulating." [12]
All tracks are written by Bill Ryder-Jones
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hanging Song" | 3:59 |
| 2. | "There's a World Between Us" | 4:34 |
| 3. | "A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart" | 2:21 |
| 4. | "By Morning" | 3:35 |
| 5. | "The Lemon Tree #3" | 4:17 |
| 6. | "Anthony & Owen" | 5:51 |
| 7. | "Wild Swans" | 4:29 |
| 8. | "Christina That's the Saddest Thing" | 4:03 |
| 9. | "You're Getting Like Your Sister" | 5:33 |
| 10. | "He Took You in His Arms" | 3:58 |
| 11. | "A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart, Pt. 2" | 5:20 |
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC) [18] | 174 |
The Clash were an English rock band that formed in London in 1976 and were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they used elements of reggae, dub, funk, ska, and rockabilly, and they contributed to the post-punk and new wave movements that followed punk. For most of their recording career, the Clash consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Joe Strummer, lead guitarist and vocalist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon, and drummer Nicky "Topper" Headon.
Domino Recording Company, or simply Domino, is a British independent record label based in London. There is also a wing of the label based in Brooklyn, New York that handles releases in the United States, as well as a German division called Domino Deutschland and a French division called Domino France. In addition, Stephen Pastel presides over the subsidiary label Geographic Music, which releases more 'unusual' music from Britain and outside of the Western world. In 2011, the company announced that it was beginning a book publishing division, The Domino Press.
The Coral are an English rock band, formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside. The band emerged during the early 2000s. Their 2002 debut album The Coral, from which came the single "Dreaming of You", was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and listed as the fourth best album of the year by NME. Their second album, Magic and Medicine (2003), produced four UK Top 20 singles, including "Pass It On". In 2008, after guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones left the band, they continued as a five-piece.
Mark Edward Kozelek is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer and occasional actor. He is the vocalist and primary recording artist of the indie folk act Sun Kil Moon and was a founding member of the indie rock band Red House Painters, with whom he recorded six studio albums from 1988 until 2001.
Nicholas Bowen "Topper" Headon is an English drummer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer of punk rock band the Clash. Known for his contributions to the drumming world, Headon was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of the Clash in 2003.
Cut the Crap is the sixth and final studio album by the English punk band the Clash, released on 4 November 1985 by CBS Records. It was recorded in early 1985 at Weryton Studios, Munich, following a turbulent period: co-founder, lead guitarist and co-principal songwriter Mick Jones and drummer Topper Headon had been dismissed by lead vocalist Joe Strummer and bassist Paul Simonon. Jones and Headon were replaced by three unknowns: guitarists Vince White and Nick Sheppard and drummer Pete Howard. During the tense recording sessions, Clash manager Bernie Rhodes and Strummer fought each other for control over the band's songwriting and musical direction.
"Rock the Casbah" is a song by the English punk rock band The Clash, released in 1982 as the second single from their fifth album, Combat Rock. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US and, along with the track "Mustapha Dance", it also reached number eight on the dance chart.
James Yorkston is a Scottish folk musician, singer-songwriter and author from the village of Kingsbarns, Fife. He has been releasing music since 2001. As well as recording as a solo artist, he has released music with his backing band the Athletes, as part of the Fence Collective, and as a member of the trio Yorkston/Thorne/Khan. He has also written fiction and non-fiction books.
Serena Lauren Ryder is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Born in Toronto, she grew up in Millbrook, Ontario. Ryder first gained national recognition with her ballad "Weak in the Knees" in 2007 and has released eight studio albums.
Phantom Moon is the third album by American singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik. It was released on Nonesuch Records in 2001.
Ora D. Allen, known by the stage name Denise LaSalle, was an American blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and record producer who, since the death of Koko Taylor, had been recognized as the "Queen of the Blues". Her husband was rapper Super Wolf.
William Edward Ryder-Jones is an English singer-songwriter, musician, music producer and composer from West Kirby, Merseyside. He co-founded the band The Coral, together with James Skelly, Lee Southall, Paul Duffy, and Ian Skelly, playing as their lead guitarist from 1996 until 2008. He has since pursued a solo career, writing both his own albums and film scores, as well as producing records for other artists and appearing as a session musician.
James Ellis Ford is an English record producer and songwriter, known for being a member of Simian Mobile Disco and the Last Shadow Puppets as well as his production work with Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Depeche Mode, Foals, Florence and the Machine, Haim, Gorillaz, Klaxons, Jessie Ware, Kylie Minogue, Declan McKenna and the Pet Shop Boys.
Sidney Thomas "Tommy" Boyce and Bobby Hart were an American duo of singer-songwriters. In addition to three top-40 hits as artists, the duo is well known for its songwriting for The Monkees.
Submarine is the debut solo EP by English musician and Arctic Monkeys lead vocalist Alex Turner, released on 14 March 2011 by Domino Recording Company. It was written by Turner in 2009, on an acoustic guitar, at his New York City home. It was produced in London by frequent collaborator James Ford, alongside guest musician Bill Ryder-Jones, and string arranger Owen Pallett. The EP consists of six original songs that act as the soundtrack of Richard Ayoade's debut feature film, Submarine (2010), based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne. The artwork is a resized version of the film's poster, which depicts lead actor Craig Roberts.
Hiss Golden Messenger is an American folk band originating from Durham, North Carolina, formed in 2007 and led by singer and songwriter MC Taylor.
Head or Heart is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Christina Perri, released on April 1, 2014, via Atlantic Records. It was originally expected to be released on March 11, 2014, but was pushed back to April 1, 2014.
Psychedelic Country Soul is the fourth studio album by American band the Long Ryders, released on February 15, 2019, through Omnivore Recordings in the US and Cherry Red Records in the UK. It is the band's first album in 32 years with Two-Fisted Tales their last release in 1987.
Yawn is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter Bill Ryder-Jones. It was released on 2 November 2018, by Domino Recording Company.
Iechyd Da is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Bill Ryder-Jones, released on 12 January 2024 through Domino Recording Company. It is his first album in five years, and received acclaim from critics.
