That Ghost‘s Young Fridays has been on constant repeat at my apartment lately. 18-year-old Ryan Schmale’s brand of bedroom lo-fi is addictive, the kind of music that puts into words all of the angst about life and growing up that most people try to forget. For people in college, his tunes will certainly evoke comparisons to the listeners’ own life. For graduates, That Ghost will hearken back to a time when you were really trying to figure shit out, and remind you that you still are.
That Ghost’s songs were all recorded in Schmale’s dorm room, and are heavy into college-related themes. Drinking too much, losing control, and figuring out who your real friends are make up the meat of the monotone speak-sing lyrics. The music is deceptively simple. Take, for example, “You can never trust a minor/They always hang out close together/I have always tried to leave here/I can drink my wine but I hate beer/I have no plans and I hate my friends.” These lyrics, like the distorted wavering melodies on the album, are just simple sentences whose whole is much more than the sum of its parts. The jangly songs put together a portrait of growing up today that is incredibly beautiful in its own quietly optimistic melancholy.
I whole-heartedly recommend this album. I think some people might find it hard to get past the quality of the recording at first, but I think with more listens anyone can see that it only adds to the charm. I especially recommend listening if a less-annoying early Bright Eyes sounds like something you’d be into. I’ve included an MP3 of my favorite track. If you really like this, don’t forget to support the artist by clicking on the “buy” link below.
MP3: When There’s No One Else To Sing To You Sing To Yourself – That Ghost
