Ryn Weaver – The Fool Album Review

 Alternative-pop beauty Ryn Weaver’s debut studio album, The Fool was released on June 16th on Mad Love and Interscope Records. The first single from the album, ‘OctaHate’, was released nearly a year ago (June 21, 2014.) Has the rest of the album been worth the wait?

The Fool has an experimental tone to it, and Ryn is certainly working hard to find the sound that best suits her vision for herself. ‘Runaway’ opens the album with a perfectly eerie and haunting tone, highlighting Ryn’s beautiful voice and desire to not fit into any particular mold.

‘OctaHate’ comes up next, and the 2014 viral hit speaks for itself, boasting co-writers Charli XCX and Cashmere Cat, and being produced by Benny Blanco (who worked on all songs on the album with Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos.)

OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder helped co-write ‘Pierre’, and this eclectic mix of collaborators gives you a good idea of both Ryn’s sound and career goals. Like other songs on the album, ‘Pierre’ tells a story and is a delight to listen to even if you don’t particularly know the words to sing along. Ryn’s voice and the production make every second of the album an enjoyable ride.

‘Stay Low’ is incredibly catchy, with Ryn’s voice somewhat reminiscent of Ellie Goulding on Lights. It’s worth noting that ‘Stay Low’, along with ‘Promises’, ‘OctaHate’ and ‘Sail On’ are carried over to The Fool after being originally released on Ryn’s Promises EP in January 2014. They are certainly the album’s highlights, and it was a wise move to include them on her first major album.

The titular track, ‘The Fool’ uses the beautifully evocative imagery Ryn loves so much. The video is a work of art as well; a wonderful visual to accompany the song.

‘Traveling Song’ is a particularly heartfelt tune, in part due to it’s touching music video dedicated to Ryn’s late grandfather and showcasing his adorable home videos of Ryn growing up. In the song, Ryn sings about missing someone while being on the road. Compared to the rest of the album, ‘Traveling Song’ is a standout for being so stripped back and, at the end, even a capella – a contrast to the rest of the album which uses it’s production to add to the imagery Ryn’s words create. ‘Traveling Song’ is a beautiful tribute to Ryn’s grandfather.

‘Here Is Home’ and ‘New Constellations’ close the album and hit Ryn’s message for The Fool home. She is a girl looking to find her way in this world (or rather, universe), and just wanting to find her place and love in the process. Track by track, The Fool is wonderful with each piece a masterful brushstroke in the masterpiece that makes up the album in its entirety. Most impressive is the fact that Ryn is only 22 years old – with talent in abundance and a soul that is wise beyond her years.

The Fool is a breathtaking debut from Ryn Weaver, taking the best of alternative and pop and meshing it together to create a truly great album. Highly recommended.

You can purchase The Fool on iTunes and wherever albums are sold.