Under 21 with Guardian

At the core of any great singer-songwriter lies this inherent trait of stage
presence, one where an entire room, no matter the size, is pulled in by this
lyrical tractor beam — all eyes, emotions and energies aimed in one
direction at a single voice. 
For Tyler Ramsey, it’s being able to honestly connect with the listener,
whether it be a packed room amid a live show or just someone throwing on
his melodies in their own time and space. 
“Writing is simply a release for me,” Ramsey said. “It’s a way for me to
process my own path through this life. Some of the time I get it right — my
aim is always honesty in writing.”
Albeit a genuinely humble soul, don’t let Ramsey’s words fool you. When it
comes to the modern-day singer-songwriter, Ramsey remains a bastion of
musical talent and lyrical aptitude — a melodic voice-of-reason and safe
haven amid a 21st century world seemingly gone mad. The former lead
guitarist of Band of Horses, Ramsey has also released four acclaimed solo
albums, including “For The Morning” in 2019.
“What I’m after is still trying to make myself a better guitarist, a better writer
and a better human,” he noted.
Ramsey’s latest album “New Lost Ages” (out Feb. 9) was captured at the
legendary Avast! Recording Co. in Seattle, Washington, by storied
producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, The Shins, Built to Spill).
The 10-song LP is an ongoing sonic quest — meticulously wandering
across the musical landscape, this undulating tone of indie, rock and folk
stylings.
The new album is about peeling back the layers of oneself, to locate and
open up the dusty boxes of your past from the back of the closet of your
mind. It’s memories and mistakes, lessons and lifelines bringing the
present moment into focus — the future bright with possibility and purpose,
so long as you never forget the road to the here and now.
Alongside bassist Morgan Henderson (Fleet Foxes) and drummer Sean
Lane (Ann Wilson), Ramsey found himself fronting a full-on rock outfit in
the studio, a scenario that conjured fresh inspiration and straightforward

determination within the recording process — something genuinely heard
and felt in the hauntingly poignant number “These Ghosts.”
“This song is for anyone who has left a bad situation behind them only to
look down and realize they are still carrying it with them somehow,”
Ramsey reflected. “Letting go — even letting go of something that’s no
good — can take time. The pain in your head is just the smoke from a fire
that burned out a long time ago.”
In 2017, Ramsey left the mainstage and the bright spotlight of Band of
Horses after a decade tenure in the group, all in an effort to, perhaps, find
solid footing in his own personal life and musical endeavors — creatively
and spiritually. 
“Every day, I’m trying to slow down the wheels, so I can just watch and be
with my family and absorb all the moments I get with them,” Ramsey said.
Based in Western North Carolina, it’s been that continued trek for Ramsey
that’s brought about a renewed intent in what it is he ultimately wants to
create, onstage and in the studio.
Pushing further and farther down the rabbit hole of “New Lost Ages,” the
melodies are aimed at sincere connectivity through honesty and
vulnerability — symbiotic realms that nurture the genuine splendor and lore
of Ramsey’s recordings and stoic stage presence in a live setting.
“[The album title track] is about letting go of innocence and facing the
reality of a society that is in decline — one that is refusing to change course
or even pause itself,” Ramsey says. “It’s searching for hope in all of this. It’s
wanting my children to be able to experience this world with wonder and joy
and not have to carry the weight of our mistakes.”
“I feel secure in what I do musically and I believe in what I’m writing,”
Ramsey says. “I try to write songs that I believe every word of. I don’t want
to ever dance around something or have to sing lyrics that don’t feel like
truth to me.”
If anything, everything Ramsey has absorbed in his travels — onstage and
on the road — is continually channeled through the unique lens of his
words, unique tunings and guitar chords. It’s a whirlwind of sound and

scope, all radiating from one human being with guitar in-hand, a silent room
of curious souls awaiting the next number of beauty and grace conjured by
Ramsey with such ease. 
“I’m more and more drawn to playing intimate shows for people,” Ramsey
said. “Stripping away smoke and mirrors, being in a room with people and
trying to create a moment — one person with a guitar and a room full of
people that want to listen.”

https://www.tylerramsey.com/