His first new record in five years, Iechyd Da is also his most ambitious LP to date. Beautifully produced, rich in scope, at times joyous, grand and sweeping, at others heartbreaking, intimate and tender. “It’s my most produced record,” adds Ryder-Jones. “It’s basically me carrying on with myself again, but this time around I’m a bit more competent as a producer.”
Lyrically, Ryder-Jones is also in potent form. At times he celebrates directness, being more open and honest than ever, while other moments are more complex and multi-faceted. He’s always able to seamlessly balance sadness with stunning beauty, and sly self-deprecation with palpable gentleness.
Bill also shares the first cut from the new album, 'This Can't Go On'. Featuring strings from a 1978 Flashlight song, it captures Ryder-Jones out in the pitch black of night, walking the streets, feeling lost, empty, and “on my way to a breakdown” he says. The resulting song, however, is a towering piece of music that is bold and expansive, existing in a seamless duality with some of Ryder-Jones’ most vulnerable, exposed and tender lyrics. “I feel like a little boy,” he sings at one point, an admission in vivid contrast to the almost triumphant music that carries those words.
Bill Ryder-Jones is back with his highly anticipated fifth album, 'Iechyd Da'. The record is rooted in love, loss, pain, heartbreak and often deep darkness, but frequently ends up in places of profound beauty, hope and joy.
His first new record in five years, Iechyd Da is also his most ambitious LP to date. Beautifully produced, rich in scope, at times joyous, grand and sweeping, at others heartbreaking, intimate and tender. “It’s my most produced record,” adds Ryder-Jones. “It’s basically me carrying on with myself again, but this time around I’m a bit more competent as a producer.”
Lyrically, Ryder-Jones is also in potent form. At times he celebrates directness, being more open and honest than ever, while other moments are more complex and multi-faceted. He’s always able to seamlessly balance sadness with stunning beauty, and sly self-deprecation with palpable gentleness.
Directed by James Slater, the wistful video for “This Can’t Go On” was filmed in Crail, Fife referencing the album artwork painted by Dale Bissland.
The name of the album means good health in Welsh, while the album’s closing “Nos Da” - a beautifully woozy lullaby - means goodnight. “My love of Wales has always been there,” he says. “Half of my family is from there, I lost my brother there, all my childhood holidays were in Scotland or Wales. It's just a magical place with an incredibly beautiful language. Although I did have to go to Gruff Rhys and ask him about calling it this as I'm still very much an Englishman - he OK'd it.”
“Over the years my music has lost a bit of its hope I reckon,” contemplates Bill Ryder-Jones. “It were important for me to make a record that had more hope in it. Even by my standards the last few years have been rocky, but I’ve chosen to soundtrack it with more positive music, you know?”
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