Ryan Kidd

Reviews

Ryan Kidd Rock n Rule LP

RYAN KIDD is rock’n’roll punk with sass and swagger, pulling in elements of DEAD BOYS and the SAINTS. This comes in punchy and will hook you with catchy choruses, but you’ll stay for the oddball guitar work that punctuates the verses from time to time. I’d be remiss to not include that some of these tunes reflect EXPLODING HEARTS and Dirtnap Records with their melody and power pop hooks. There is yelling on this Rock N Rude LP, some “woo-woo”s, “yaaaohh”s, snotty Stiv Bators vocal stuff, and most of the songs are perfectly lyrically vague enough that you could get away with singing them around town without getting side-eyed. This record is for you if you like beer, bars, and places that have punk shows that have been around so long that smoking cigs inside has been grandfathered into the building’s lease.

Ryan Kidd Remote View / Cracked 7″

The A-side of Tennessee’s RYAN KIDD’s latest single, “Remote View,” is an extremely catchy, power-pop-infused modern punk anthem. Gnarly riffs, fat bass, and supporting synths lay the foundation for charismatic and powerful vocals that remind me of the great Pete Shelley. Sprinkled guitar noises and Velcro licks supply a good amount of ear candy and liven up the sound considerably. For the B-side, he does a great job covering the TIGHTS’ classic “Cracked” and collects all the bonus points.

Ryan Kidd Dead in Memphis LP

Stripped-down, SPITS-as-a-genre punk here from RYAN KIDD. This juicy long-player is the band’s second release following their 2023 EP, delivering sixteen tracks with a familiar sci-fi RAMONES feel emboldened by searing guitars. These rocking tunes conjure up classic and iconic vibes, and the nihilistic title cut name-checks ALEX CHILTON, JEFF BUCKLEY, ISAAC HAYES, and JAY REATARD, in that order. Clearly, the guy has taste, as further evidenced by his choice of the ALAN MILMAN SECT’s “I Wanna Kill Somebody” as a cover song.