Ryland Moranz will hold a pre-release party for his new record ‘Better/Worse’ on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Geomatic Attic in Lethbridge.
Ryland Moranz’s evolution as a singer-songwriter continues with the release of his new record, Better/Worse.
Fort Macleod born and raised and now living in Lethbridge, Moranz will give fans an early taste of Better/Worse this weekend.
A pre-release party is planned at Geomatic Attic in Lethbridge on Saturday, Oct. 19.
Better/Worse is the third record for Moranz, whose album XO, 1945 was nominated for the Canadian Folk Music Awards Contemporary Album of the Year in 2021.
“I wrote it kind of in the aftermath of our big collective . . . break,” Moranz said of Better/Worse, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Everything was just so turbulent. It felt like everybody was trying to make things better for themselves or someone else, but it always seemed to be at the detriment of someone else. My better is your worse.”
“Sometimes you don’t know either for yourself if what I’m doing now that seems right might be wrong,” Moranz explained. “I became fascinated with that idea, that everything is simultaneously right, and wrong.”
Better/Worse was produced by Leeroy Stagger, a long-time musician compatriot who produced Moranz’s previous two records, and who put his friend through the paces on Better/Worse.
“I wrote a bunch of songs and he said, ‘Yeah this sounds good, could you write me four more songs and see what comes out?’” Moranz said. “I said sure and I wrote them and sent them in and he said, ‘These sound great. Could you write me four more?’”
Moranz once again complied, only to have Stagger request yet another four songs. Moranz was still writing songs as he boarded the plane to begin recording.
“It was a process like I never experienced before. I think only one or two of the songs made it from the original batch. The rest are still out there. I play them lots and I might record them for something later.”
Sometimes Stagger supplied a jumping off point, such as a newspaper article, with directions for Moranz to write about it.
“It was fun to be pushed. It was the first time I had someone hold my feet to the fire and say, ‘These are fine, but keep going’.”
Moranz said the pre-production process helped to inform the record, as well as his own writing process moving forward.
Recording took place at Barnhouse Sound Productions in Qualicum Beach — a log cabin vacation property that was turned into a recording studio on Vancouver Island.
Jon Rahm of Afterlife Studio in Vancouver, who has worked with stars ranging from Jimmie Hendrix to The Who, was the sound engineer for Better/Worse.
Musicians Leon Power, Eric Nielson and Scott Smith backed up Moranz on Better/Worse.
The fact the musicians hadn’t heard the songs prior to recording led to them making their first instinctual moves and reaction to one another, which comes through on the album.
“I was actually pretty blown away and surprised,” Moranz said of his reaction to hearing the finished record.
Better/Worse will be officially released on Nov. 15 when Moranz is on a nearly eight-week tour of Australia and New Zealand.
“I went over last year and had a great tour. I’m very lucky to have been invited back.”
Moranz has been on the road pretty much since May 1, touring on his own and with Leeroy Stagger, his friend Dan Fremlin, his sister Gillian Moranz, Sierra Noble from Winnipeg and Tera Lightfoot.
“I’ve seen a lot of the country two or three times this year,” Moranz said with a laugh. “But it’s been great to know that when things get tough, everything can be handled.”
Moranz has toured extensively in Canada and internationally, and has performed on stages at the Calgary Folk Music Festival, South Country Fair, Canmore Folk Festival and others.
Moranz attributes his career and latest record to the people around him.
“I’ve been lucky, just have good friends and a community who look out for each other.”
Ryland Moranz will hold a pre-release party for his new record ‘Better/Worse’ on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Geomatic Attic in Lethbridge.
