by Eliana Fermi
Ryan Hurd’s sophomore album, Midwest Rock & Roll, is a collection of modern country rock with relatable storytelling. While the album’s title hints at a rugged, down-to-earth vibe, the music itself is far from simple. Hurd’s singing reveals a complex inner landscape of his honest lyrics, with his soulful vocals, expressive delivery, and lyrical precision.
Midwest Rock & Roll unfolds like a series of snapshots of Hurd’s personal journey through life’s challenges and triumphs. The album’s energy shifts between ballads and medium rock-country tracks, with Hurd’s voice taking center stage in every moment. Musically, the album embraces warm, earthy instrumentation, with guitars that carry grit and sweetness, supported by subtle keyboard textures and dynamic backbeat drumming. Lyrically, Hurd explores themes of personal conflict, nostalgia, and growth, never shying away from life’s imperfections yet always offering hope and resolution.
Serving as the album’s opener and title track, “Midwest Rock & Roll” sets the tone with its energetic blend of country and rock elements. Hurd reflects on his journey from the Midwest to the music scene, capturing the essence of chasing dreams while staying true to one’s roots. The track’s anthemic chorus and driving instrumentation make it a standout introduction.
“Single In The Same Town” is rooted in Hurd’s reflection on the complexities of a small-town breakup, where memories resurface in every corner. The combination of a catchy chorus and a steady rhythm section creates a backdrop for Hurd’s honest confrontation with his past. The lyrics offer a subtle irony, as Hurd contemplates the emotional messiness of seeing an ex around town—”I don’t wanna know who you’re with / Or where you’re ending up tonight”—capturing that familiar emotional tug-of-war with precision and tenderness.
Co-written with Mark Holman and Randy Montana, “Die For It” delves into the depths of unconditional love and the sacrifices it entails. Hurd’s emotive delivery, combined with well-written lyrics, underscores the complexities of devotion. The song’s production balances vulnerability with strength, mirroring the song’s thematic exploration.
“Lighthouse” delivers an evocative metaphor for guidance and emotional refuge. The imagery of the lighthouse as a beacon and a symbol of lost connection underscores the track’s melancholic beauty. Hurd’s vocal lines are supported by the layered guitar work. There’s a quiet urgency to the lyrics: “I’ll meet you at the lighthouse with whatever’s left / Left of my heart,” a line that resonates deeply as it symbolizes both the anchor of love and the toll it takes. The song’s restrained build reflects this inner emotional journey.
In “Youth,” Hurd sings of nostalgia without succumbing to the typical traps of sentimentality. The song’s energy is brought into focus with the instrumentation, providing a poignant backdrop for lyrics that deal with the passage of time and the fleeting nature of innocence. Hurd’s voice flows between his lower and upper registers. His vocals expressing the vulnerability of remembering a simpler time, only to confront the inevitability of maturity. Lines like “We were young, we were invincible,” accompanied by the album’s guitar flourishes.
“All Night Long Days” finds the energy picking up with a rock-country feel that shifts between reflective verses and anthemic choruses. The track’s driving rhythm and repetitive melodic structure mirror the exhaustion and frustration that come with modern life’s relentless grind. Hurd paints a picture of someone stuck in the cycle of routine, “I make my plans and I fight with my wife.” This is supported by the underlying defiance in the way the song builds. The vocals in the bridge, where Hurd’s delivery peaks with intensity, symbolize an emotional release, emphasizing the need to let go: “Gotta let that shit go.” It’s a cathartic moment, perfectly timed, allowing for emotional renewal.
“Funerals” is where Hurd takes a hard look at life’s ultimate inevitability, death. But rather than succumbing to the heaviness of the subject, Hurd balances the dark irony with raw vulnerability. The song’s shifting tempo and subtle guitar work reflect a sense of inevitability but also a grappling with personal loss. The repeated refrain, “I bend ’til I break, white-knuckle my pain,” is a powerful image of someone trying to hold it together before finally accepting that they can’t control everything. The bridge deepens this emotional journey, where Hurd finally acknowledges that self-inflicted wounds are often the hardest to heal. The track’s tone pairs with its message, offering a relatable portrayal of life’s most unavoidable experience.
“Go To Bed Sober” is a song that has emotional depth and powerful vocal delivery. Hurd’s voice, paired with a minimalistic instrumental arrangement, creates a sense of intimacy and raw honesty. The song’s lyrics, dealing with the bittersweet complexities of relationships, come to life with Hurd’s deliberate phrasing and emotional inflection. As the song builds, Hurd pushes his voice to its upper register, delivering a raw, cathartic release. The transition into the outro, with its final band hits and lingering chord. This track is an example of Hurd’s ability to capture emotional truth in a way that feels universally relatable.
Ryan Hurd’s Midwest Rock & Roll is an honest exploration of life’s challenges, delivered with the instrumental nuance and vocal power. The album’s blend of rock-country instrumentation and introspective lyrics speaks to the relentless nature of daily life. Midwest Rock & Roll is an album that doesn’t shy away from life’s toughest questions, but offers the kind of emotional catharsis that makes the journey worth taking. That’s the short of it!
