by David Wilikofsky
Ryan Davis has charted his own path across the musical underground over the last decade, as a member of bands like State Champion and Equipment Pointed Ankh and as the head of the consistently excellent Sophomore Lounge. On his first LP under his own name, Davis enlists a cadre of collaborators (among them fellow members of Equipment Pointed Ankh, Joan Shelley, Catherine Irwin of Freakwater and Will Lawrence of Gun Outfit) to flesh out his spin on country music. Dancing on the Edge contains some of the most vivid and moving songwriting I’ve heard this year, a stellar set of songs that grapple with the big questions of life.
On the surface, Dancing on the Edge is unobtrusive music. It’s pleasantly melodic, falling somewhere between cosmic Americana and the David Berman school of singer-songwriters. As a lyricist, Davis matches the vibe of his backing band; his songs tend to meander, unhurriedly unfolding over often lengthy runtimes. Though some have clear narratives (see “Learn 2 Re-Luv”, a story of past paramours wondering whether they can love each other again), more often than not they feel like freewheeling meditations on the human condition. They’re tackling big issues (existential angst, disappointment, loneliness, death) with sharp wit and gallows humor.
Throughout Dancing on the Edge, Davis is adept at spinning turns of phrase that will make you snap to attention. Often they’re funny, as when Davis deadpans “blacklight will find the jizz” to describe how the truth will always come out. Sometimes they’re philosophical, as when he intones “death has loaned us to life” at the end of “A Suitable Exit”. There are countless other examples, but I’ll refrain from enumerating them here; part of the joy of listening to this album is discovering these small moments that may pass you by on a first or second listen but will hit you like a ton of bricks on the next one. I’ve been spinning Dancing on the Edge for weeks, and I still don’t feel like I’ve fully plumbed its depths. Much like the best work of David Berman (who once called Davis “one of the best lyricists going”), these songs will continue to reveal their layers for years to come.