Platonic (EP), by Ryan Hurd

As is the case with a great many country singer-songwriters who have less familiar careers as artists, I am not really familiar with the music of Ryan Hurd, but an acquaintance of mine gave a rankdown opportunity for a couple of his EPs, some of which included the original versions of a few hits that were sung by other artists, so this gave me an opportunity to get to know his music a little better, and I looked forward to it. So, how does Ryan Hurd work as a performer of his own music? Is he a performer who deserves to be a lot better known or what?

The EP starts with the gentle “Down To A T,” a breezy sort of love song that really sounds like a lost summer jam. “Half Hoping” follows with a song about not dealing well with a person one used to date that one half hopes will come and half hopes will not, a rather clever take on a very relatable feeling of ambivalence. “Platonic” is a song that expresses the relatable feeling of a guy who cannot feel platonically about a friend he is attracted to. “Florida With A Girl” is a bit underwritten of a song, but again it is a sentiment I have enjoyed hearing, about the joy of being with a girl in spring break, but not being able to hold on to the relationship. Finally, “Wish For The World,” is a gentle acoustic song that reflects some basic but certainly praiseworthy desires for more love, music, grace, beauty and forgiveness in a world that can be cruel.

Overall this is an enjoyable EP. One could see this as being the source material for a pretty worthwhile album, or as a place where people look for singles, and all of the songs are at least a bit enjoyable, and most of them more than a bit. The EP has in general a relaxed vibe, solid production, and Ryan Hurd has a relatable approach here in writing songs about love and relationships. It’s not clear to what extent this EP has a coherent theme and approach, but it is certainly an enjoyable listen full of good songs, and that is enough to enjoy.