I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere

It is exactly the kind of music I want when I follow an endless road into the sunset or end the day with a crackling campfire: Handmade, authentic and honest classic rock with excellent Americana, folk and soul influences fills the room and leaves nothing to be desired for fans of sophisticated guitar music.

We are talking about The Ram, a talented American singer / songwriter with a band from California, who turn up a lot and give us a true listening experience with the new album ‘I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere’.

Within the next three quarters of an hour, nine fantastic tracks await you, which gripped me primarily with their unmistakable vocals: incredibly expressive, emotional, narrative and provided with a raw timbre – definitely a voice with a very individual character that you quickly recognize! In addition, the album stands out with its striking electric guitars. The precise playing style is complemented by interesting harmonies, a classic vintage distortion and subtle psychedelic elements, which already gives the instrumentation a clear unique selling point.

Piano, drums and Hammond organ also complete the arrangements with full commitment and offer a variety of successful textures and riffs. The album ‘I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere’ clearly stands out from the mainstream and turns out to be the ideal soundtrack for a road trip. 

Berlin on Air

The name slams like a promise of raw introspection: The Ram returns with I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere, an album that is both carnal and contemplative, where East Coast family memories meet the bright horizon of Southern California. Behind this project, we find the deep and frank voice of Mark O’Donnell, installed like an old armchair by the fireplace, and an instrumentation that breathes the wide spaces and suspended moments.

From the first seconds of “Listen to the Cold”, opening piece, the atmosphere is settled. We can guess the family farm in Pennsylvania, the wet earth of a past winter, and this look turned to absence. It’s a song like few writes: crystal clear country guitar, warm voice, and this impression of being invited to a ritual of memory. A sunset in the ears.

“The Moon’s Loving Light” takes over in a more bluesy atmosphere, folk as roots. Again, the guitar is queen, merging with The Ram’s voice in a duet where nothing overflows, where each note seems carefully posed. It’s not virtuosity, it’s poetic restraint.

Then comes “Unbound”, an auditory cavalcade that smells of burnt asphalt and long American straights. The listener projects himself there, the wind in his hair, his gaze in the distance, as if the album drew a mental road trip in filigree. The organic production lets the instruments live: round drums, discreet bass, free guitars.

With “Perpetual Change”, the mist sets in. It’s a more atmospheric walk, more intimate too. The electric piano comes to caress the silences, while the voice takes all its place, without frills, almost whispered at times. A guitar solo gently bursts this felted cocoon, in a final as fragile as it is powerful.

Iggy Music

I love the subtle parallel between space and night, especially with the mirror-like water reflecting the sky. There’s something poetic and timeless about it. And if you close your eyes while listening to the track, you’ll find yourself in a dark space where only The Ram’s voice leads you, like a cosmic cowboy, through the labyrinths of emotions and thoughts. I noticed that “Space Cowboy” resonates with joy, hope, and a feeling of warmth. This track instills confidence that anything is possible. And there’s nothing to fear, really.

Soundville

If you’ve missed one of our shows, you’re in luck, we’ve been recording everything during the warm months since 2023.  I used Substack as a living archive of my work and a place to relax and let the guard down.

None of the shows aim to perfection, merely a snapshot of what goes right, and often times wrong during a live show.  I watch the concert footage as a football coach would watch game films.

My Substack