Ro Myra - Nowhere. Nebraska

by Zena Grieg

published: 16 / 11 / 2021

Label: Ponderosa Records
Format: LP

Evocative and multi-layered debut album from Nebraska-raised, now Nashville-based Americana/folk singer-songwriter Ro Myra

Review

Nebraska-raised, now Nashville-based Americana/folk singer-songwriter Ro Myra has just released her debut album. ‘Nowhere, Nebraska’ is a transformative journey through different emotional scenarios, imprinteyra has just released her debut album. ‘Nowhere, Nebraska’ is a transformative journey through different emotional scenarios, imprinted by the windswept, expansive Nebraska environment – “Landscapes most heavily influence the music I write…the topography shaped the arrangements and the frequencies used.” The songs she said are “a complex reckoning with the past, a nuanced, literate re-examination of small-town life in the shadow of heartbreak, self-destruction, and second chances”, the album revolving around “memory and forgiveness, growth and pain, freedom and fate.” Highlights of this seven-track, self-produced collection, characterised by its accomplished storytelling and insightful and empathetic character studies, include: the dreamy and sensual opening track ‘Half The Time’, which tackles substance abuse and holding on to someone who is no longer there, physically or spiritually; ‘Jump Into The Water’ with its swirling organ and southern gospel-soul vibe; the energetic, bittersweet single and video ‘She’s Not The Road’, a brutally honest exploration of being the partner of a road warrior; the powerful ‘Irene’ (the short film a winner of the IMDb qualified Independent Shorts Awards and Best Music Video at the Venice Shorts Film Festival) with its exhortation to a friend living with domestic abuse to escape and love herself; and the wistful closer ‘Railroad Weed’ about adolescent days hanging out by railroad tracks, dreaming about leaving, with a later in life realization and longing for the comfort the place offers. ‘Nowhere, Nebraska’ with its rich, layered lyrics, complemented by an accomplished musical range across pop, folk, rock and country, set against the backdrop of Ro Myra’s mesmeric, soulful voice, is an impressive start for her.