Ryland Bickley – Class Blog

Not many album openers start with a harpsichord these days, and the ones that do certainly don’t name-drop TikTok in the final verse.  Black Country, New Road’s third studio album, “Forever Howlong,” manages to do both in the British six-piece’s genre-bending, multilayered April release. The new record is the band’s first studio album since their breakout 2022 release “Ants from Up There,” which landed on the best-of-year lists of publications such as Pitchfork and showed a more melodic and accessible side of BCNR.  On “Ants,” the band still exuded Windmill scene authenticity with their signature klezmer-inspired post-punk, but some of the singalong choruses had the broad indie appeal of acts such as Arcade Fire – a major influence .  But days before “Ants” was released, frontman Isaac Wood left the band.  Frankly, no one could sing those songs like him. No one should. Wood’s delivery is one-of-a-kind, impassioned and brilliantly raw.  The band realized that t...

It was around halfway through the dusty, hot slog of my first day on the job – a 14-and-a-half-hour shift – when the crew boss’ truck pulled alongside the tractor I piloted and motioned for me to stop.  Don’t forget! Clutch and then brake. I came to a halt and opened the door.  “How’s the first day going, Ryland?” he asked.  “Pretty good,” I replied. And then in a goody two shoes, new hire sort of way: “I’m making mistakes, but I’m learning.”  He chuckled. “That’s good. Just make sure they’re not big mistakes.”  I sure came close, though.  My tractor and rake For starters, I was more or less in that tractor against my will. It was my decision, but the only available option for my first summer job. The age-old teenager paradox: needing money to buy a car, but needing that car to get to work.  So I got the same job as my older sister, and she graciously let me tag along every July morning to the headquarters of Boshart Trucking’s custom baling operation ...

Hello, JN217. My name is Ryland Bickley and I'm excited to be a part of this class spring term.  I've been around journalism for a while now, but this is regrettably the first class on it I've taken since high school. This is also my last term at LBCC, so I'm hoping to make the most out of it.  I'm a communications major planning on transferring to Oregon State starting fall term to complete my bachelor's degree. My goal is to work in media, especially journalism, once I graduate.  Outside of school, my two biggest interests are music and football. I play guitar and have taken a bunch of music classes at LB. I'm a fan of the classics but currently I've been listening to a lot of new releases in the indie pop and rock scene, with some of my top bands this month being Magdalena Bay, Fontaines D.C., Men I Trust, and The Lemon Twigs. I've also spent some time exploring the local scene.  And then there's football – my obsession for as long as I can re...