Review: Ryan Follese EP

Newcomer Ryan Follese makes his first dive into the country genre with the release of his self-titled EP. The upbeat project hints at his past as the lead singer for pop-rock band, Hot Chelle Rae (“Tonight Tonight,” “Whatever”) while incorporating elements of modern storytelling found all over country radio. Follese was a co-writer on all six tracks and recorded the release in Nashville with producers Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett) and Cameron Montgomery.

Each track on the album comes with a feel-good vibe and foot tapping beat. Featured lyrics are heavily repeated resulting in them running through a listener’s mind all day. The mood represented is reminiscent of a bright summer day and releasing it on the unofficial last weekend of the summer season will provide the perfect playlist for country fans spending Labor Day outdoors.

The first four songs on the album could act as the soundtrack to a young love story. They go through the progressive stages of a relationship, beginning with “Put a Label On It.” Pop influences are found in this catchy storytelling tune that fans might take notes from if looking to take the next step with a new courtship.

“Wilder” brings listeners to days of adventure and feeling alive, and how much sweeter it all is with someone you love. “There’s no point of dipping your toes in/It’s no fun if you know where you’re going,” the bridge echoes. At first, “Wilder” may come across as a song all to similar to a Sam Hunt hit, but a deeper look into the lyrics combined with Follese’s multiple-octave vocals, this song provides depth as well as a platform that sets him apart.

Cue the wedding bells for the following two tracks, “One Thing Right” and “Lose a Little Sleep.” Both songs are so simply sweet and told through a story that earn their place in the country music world and perhaps a spot on country airplay charts. “I got one thing right/Here in my arms/And for once in someone’s eyes I can do no harm,” “One Thing Right” repeats in its chorus. “Lose a Little Sleep” personifies an ideal relationship of never being able to spend enough time with someone, Follese sure knows how to swoon a girl with words.

The 29-year-old’s breezy personality shines through the last two tunes on the project. “Growing Old” expresses the common thought that the transition into adulthood has moments that are overrated. “This growing up is getting old,” he hums in the lighthearted track. And what better way to put life’s problems at bay than spending the day on the water as described in the EP’s conclusion, “Float Your Boat.” It may be impossible to listen to this track without daydreaming of a day on a pontoon without a care in the world.

Follese’s debut country EP is littered with lyrics of strong imagery and storytelling that will get stuck in your head. It is an impressive first effort and gives him room to grow into the genre and will have fans wanting more, if just to find more tracks to sing to themselves all day long.