I think Phil Collins, he’s a really brilliant guy. It’s the comeback record nobody thought would be so good and perfect, and it’s their formula. It’s a master class it’s like AC/DC’s Back In Black, but with more dragons and shit, man. But all in all, I think they made the right decision, because we got A Trick Of The Tail out of it, which is probably my second favorite Genesis record. And that’s a big job, man, to take over for Peter Gabriel. There’s enough live footage out there to show the power Phil Collins had. The records are a dollar apiece if you go to a record store. We have all these great documents of how great of a band they were, so I don’t really feel like I need to prove anything. I know you love Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, but can we also talk about the Phil Collins era? I don’t like it when people are snobby about the Phil years. In our interview, we talked a lot about Genesis and a little about his own music. “I thought I was just going to die in a gutter as a martyr like, ‘I am a city person.’ But man, I just want to drink water from a well and live,” Walker said. In a way, the pastoral vibe of Course In Fable presages these changes. (He noted that the region is best known for spawning butt-rock kingpins Staind, about whom he’s expressed genuine appreciation.) In May, he plans to move ever farther north to Vermont. I caught up with Walker at his temporary home in western Massachusetts, where Walker moved after New York City proved to be too expensive during the pandemic. The only heaviness is 1970- to 1975-era Genesis.” I’m very happy and there’s no heaviness to my life. I don’t have it all figured out, but I’m living in some sort of solution. “I’ve got a great relationship with my mind and body and spirit.
More than that, it feels like a creative breakthrough for Walker, who’s already recognized as one of the leading lights of the contemporary indie jam scene. Nevertheless, Course In Fable has garnered some of the best reviews of his career. That means he also doesn’t have a publicist or any other infrastructure for promotion and distribution. Having recently parted ways with his label, Secretly Canadian, Walker opted to put out Course In Fable on his own. The result is one of 2021’s most unabashedly gorgeous and grand indie records. In the studio, he was assisted by John McEntire, a Chicago indie legend known for his work with Tortoise and The Sea And Cake. A die-hard fan of the English pop-prog band Genesis and a devout student of Chicago post-rock, Walker has somehow merged these influences on Fable, stitching together multi-part songs heavy on wonky guitar solos and unexpected time signature changes.
On Friday, he will release Course In Fable, his finest studio album to date. Thankfully, times are much better these days for the 31-year-old Illinois native. The decision came after Walker came close to taking his own life while on tour in New Mexico. In the spring of 2019, the inventive guitarist and songwriter - who’s also known for his hilarious social media presence - checked himself into rehab for drug and alcohol dependency. The last time I spoke with Ryley Walker, he wasn’t far removed from the darkest period of his life. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year.
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