Still Reelin’ from Ray Bull at Lincoln Hall

^{Article by Ciara Rose Belfiore, cover photo by @sloaneshotit on Instagram}

Tyler Berrier is a musician from East Tennessee, who now lives in New York. Berrier is a close friend of Ray Bull, originally meeting them in art school. He takes the stage covered in metallic silver face paint, a bit reminiscent of Steam Powered Giraffe, and reflective of his slightly electronic sound. His music lies at the intersection somewhere between Orville Peck and Father John Misty, sometimes indie-Americana, sometimes more pop-leaning. Supported by backing tracks, Berrier performs without a band, simply him and his guitar onstage. He croons songs like “IOU”, “Take Me Out”, and “All Day Long” from his recent album Alone With Me, with a wistful sincerity. Berrier blends Americana with electronica with precision, the result is wonderfully unique. He finishes his set with an experimental auto-tuned pop single that’s set to be released on April 25th.

Ray Bull is an indie pop duo from Brooklyn comprised of Tucker Elkins and Aaron Graham. On their recent tour, their backdrop has been an LED roadsign, which can also be seen in the music video for their recent single “Reelin”. Before the duo takes the stage the sign flashes with phrases ranging from celebrity name word-play, like “david lynch salt just a pinch” to internet references like “you’re so androgynous like if a man and a woman had a baby”. Though they might at first seem nonsensical, these phrases are reflective of Ray Bull’s wry and witty take on Indie pop. They began with “Know By Know”, and worked their way through their growing discography performing songs from Little Acts of Violence, Easy Way to Lose, and various singles. Graham and Elkins alternate between who takes the lead vocally, but often employ beautiful vocal harmonies. They blend their upbeat pop songs like “The New Thing Dies” with slowed-down love songs like “Reelin” in a way that feels entirely natural. They’ve mastered the MJ Lenderman style of half joking, half saying what you really mean. During “The New Thing Dies”, a fan favorite that went viral online, Elkins jumps out into the crowd and is met with the sounds of excited fans, who laugh at his antics before he returns to the stage. They’ve been compared to The Strokes and The Killers, both incredibly iconic bands, and for good reason. Their music is inventive, standing out in the present indie-pop scene, and at the end of the day undeniably catchy. Perhaps part of their charm and ingenuity comes from their background as artists. Regardless, Ray Bull is most definitely one to watch. And who knows? They might have already written your new favorite song.