Ryan Beatty
Sweet Fortune
(Atlantic)
Possessing a voice that's often as captivating as the late Jeff Buckley and a picturesque way with words like Rufus Wainwright, Ryan Beatty's fourth album Sweet Fortune is easily the best of his career. In contrast to past forays into bedroom pop, and alt-R&B, Beatty leans even more into an Americana-minded sound than on 2023's Calico and impressively recalls Seventies singer/songwriters too.
In recent years, the openly gay artist has collaborated with Beyonce (four co-writes on the latter's Cowboy Carter, netting a Grammy for Album of the Year), Miley Cyrus, Bleachers, Marcus Mumford, Brockhampton, and others.
Beatty, 30, has said in interviews that he wrote the new album's songs from a positive perspective of being in a relationship. He had assists from Clairo, Amy Allen, returning producer/multi-instrumentalist Ethan Gruska (Phoebe Bridgers, Weezer, Mumford and Sons, Conan Gray), and others. Esteemed session musicians Matt Chamberlain and Greg Leisz contribute (drums; pedal steel/dobro) respectively to a handful of tunes.
Opening with the quietly elegant "Phantom," which Beatty has described as a "farewell and hello at the same time," he follows it with the alluring "White Lightning" and whispery falsetto while singing "you can stay if you don't break my heart" as soft harmonica plays in the background.
The upbeat, folkish "Virtuoso" is colored by mandolin, dulcimer, synth and mellotron. Here, Beatty sings that "trying to hold me down is like trying to hold onto rain" before ending the verses with some "whoo hoos." It channels Kacey Musgraves, as does the sensual single "Secret Language" (be sure to check out the video where Beatty runs for his life across the country).
"Too Many Ways" - about being apart from the one you love - is a stunning Glen Campbell-styled acoustic-guitar led shuffle, where Beatty's lyrics include references to being a Central California native and then, "I've got a man in Massachusetts/Who comes to see me when he can/And he holds me in the morning/And he holds me through the night/So many ways to say I love you/Too many ways to say goodbye."
Elsewhere, the captivating, nearly jazzy "Delancey" details a night of passion; a delicate "Dust" deals in dichotomies (love/hate relationships with New York, where the album was made and the music business), and the upbeat idyllic closer "Fleur de Lis," sort of a cross between chamber pop and country, contains fluttering orchestration. Definitely a contender for best albums of the year.
Ryan Beatty - North American Tour Dates:
Sep 9 — Vancouver, BC — Vogue Theatre
Sep 10 — Seattle, WA — The Neptune Theatre
Sep 12 — San Francisco, CA — The Masonic
Sep 13 — Los Angeles, CA — Greek Theatre
Sep 15 — San Diego, CA — The Observatory San Diego
Sep 16 — Phoenix, AZ — Crescent Ballroom
Sep 18 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot
Sep 19 — Denver, CO — Summit Music Hall
Sep 21 — Minneapolis, MN — Varsity Theater
Sep 22 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues
Sep 25 — Toronto, ON — HISTORY
Sep 27 — Columbia, MD — All Things Go Festival
Sep 30 — Charlotte, NC — The Underground
Oct 1 — Nashville, TN — Ryman Auditorium
Oct 3 — Austin, TX — Austin City Limits — Weekend 1
Oct 7 — Houston, TX — White Oak Music Hall
Oct 8 — Dallas, TX — Majestic Theatre
Oct 10 — Austin, TX — Austin City Limits — Weekend 2
Oct 12 — Atlanta, GA — Buckhead Theatre
Oct 14 — Philadelphia, PA — Theatre of Living Arts
Oct 16 — Boston, MA — House of Blues
Oct 17 — Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Paramount
George Paul
