Skinny Dyck - Palace Waiting (2022) Hi-Res

Another slice of steel-based retro country from this Canadian traditionalist.

Ryan ‘Skinny’ Dyck is a Canadian country singer from Lethbridge, Alberta, who is beginning to develop quite a reputation for his twang-based Bakersfield sound. His songs are self-reflective, and speak to self-doubt and dealing with failed relationships – “Imagine my surprise, cutting off all ties Couldn’t stand the thought of saying goodbye Now she’s free to leave I wonder where she’ll go” from ‘Cutting off all ties”. Dyck is a traditionalist, and the songs are very 60s with a modern twist lyrically. In fact he has collared the retro sound so well you might think you have heard two or three of the songs before. And there is a nice take on the only cover, Porter Wagoner’s ‘Be a Little Quieter’. The mainstay of the album is the interplay on nearly every track between the electric guitar (sometimes a baritone) and the steel guitar that Dyck plays, and some nice guitar riffs sprinkled throughout. He is an in-demand session steel player locally.

‘Palace Waiting’ follows his album ‘Get to Know Lonesome’ which came out in 2020 and which was well-received, particularly ‘Dreamin’, a really nice country rocker which got good airplay. It would be nice to include more songs like ‘Dreamin’ going forward for a change of style.

‘Palace Waiting’ is a tad on the short side, so it is good that Dyck can wrap up a song nicely within three minutes – the eight tracks are well balanced tempo-wise, although the opener ‘Hey Who’s Counting’ is a bit of a plodder with which to open the album. Take a chance on the whole thing though, especially ‘In On the Upswing’ and ‘TV Blue’ – you’ll enjoy it.