Ricky Byrd: NYC Made

“NYC Made” by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ricky Byrd on Wicked Cool Records promised to be a real, honest-to-goodness rock and roll record—the likes of which I hadn’t seen or heard in years.

The album is a single CD that also includes a booklet in the sleeve with all the lyrics to each song, along with the credits. From the start, I could tell this was going to be an album I could really sink my teeth into. Throughout the record, there is a sound and feel reminiscent of both the street-corner doo-wop style of the 1950s and 1960s—akin to the Drifters, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Danny and the Juniors, and Dion and the Belmonts—mixed with later rock and roll styles spanning from the late 1960s through the 1990s, such as the Yardbirds, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Some songs also feature the catchy, lyrical hooks reminiscent of Tommy James and the Shondells, Rockpile, and Billy Joel. Byrd even pays homage to some of these influences in the song “Transistor Radio” and others throughout the album.

From the first track, Ricky takes center stage, and his vocals are crystal clear. There is so much happening between the speakers that it was difficult to pinpoint any single defining “sound.” This album is truly a culmination of his lifelong passion for rock and roll. The mere fact that he was able to distill it all into one cohesive album is incredible. The singing, the instrumentation, and the backing vocals—rich with harmonies—make it feel as if Byrd had tapped into my psyche, extracted everything I love about rock and roll, and performed it just for me in my listening room. (Okay, that may sound narcissistic, but you get my drift.)

Each song stands on its own, telling a great story, and the lyrics flow seamlessly within a perfect stream of rock and roll. The exceptional guitar work and vocal clarity make it feel as though Ricky is sitting across from you, giving an interview in song. The instruments, too, are spread across the soundstage, creating a wonderful wall of sound reminiscent of Phil Spector. They are perfectly balanced to complement Byrd’s vocals.

The musicians on the album are fantastic, playing together with seamless synergy. Many are rock and roll household names in their own right. If you add in the members of the horn section (The Uptown Horns) and the background singers (The Ba Ba Blacksheep Singers), there are simply too many to name individually here—but they are all listed in the enclosed booklet. Their collective sound is infectious, making it impossible not to swing and sway along. You can tell that everyone involved had an incredible time making this album because it sounds so alive—polished yet spontaneous.

If I had to choose my absolute favorites, I’d say:

• “Glamdemic Blues” – A fantastic beat with an homage to bands like T. Rex and Mott the Hoople.

• “Transistor Radio” – My personal favorite! This song resonates with me on so many levels. It brings back memories of hanging out in my ’67 LeMans at the White Castle on Hempstead Turnpike in Long Island, lining up our burgers (with cheese), fries, onion rings, and clam strips (when they had them) along the dashboard, pigging out while cranking Cousin Brucie on the radio. To this day, I still play his show on Friday nights—now through my Echo Dot/Alexa in South Carolina—but the feeling remains the same after all these years.

• “Rhapsody in Blues (One for Jeff)” – A brilliantly crafted instrumental that left me in awe from start to finish. The tempo change at the end gave me what I call the VHF—Vertical Hair Factor. I couldn’t help but think that Jeff would have been both happy and proud. And if you have to ask, “Who’s Jeff?” after hearing this song—well, shame on you!

• “Then Along Comes You” – Begins with a single, crystal-clear guitar, then builds in tempo, featuring a great horn section. By the end, this song is a full-on boogie.

• “Alien” – A fantastic track with an irresistible guitar rhythm, clever and fun lyrics, and a poignant message.

• “Best of Times” – The perfect closing song for this album. Reflective yet upbeat, it celebrates a life well-lived and cherished moments with loved ones. The heartfelt lyrics—“the best times were spent with you”—are beautifully complemented by an exceptional guitar solo. The song’s abrupt ending, without a wind-down, is absolutely perfect.

I could keep going and list every song, but I’ll stop here. Suffice it to say that every track on this album is a standout.

The influences on this album are too numerous to list. Some are readily recognizable, some Byrd explicitly mentions, and others I may not fully appreciate until I listen even more (which I most certainly have and will continue to do). To me, this album—and Ricky Byrd himself—is an amalgam of all the rock and roll styles, musicians, and music he has absorbed throughout his life, distilled into a single, masterful record. As he sings in “Sweet Byrd of Youte,” “What a time we had.” And indeed, we—meaning me—needed this album to restore faith in rock and roll. It proves that new rock can still be created with reverence for the past, inspiring the future. He captures this sentiment beautifully in “RNR’s Demise (Has Been Greatly Exaggerated),” with words and music that speak directly to the soul.

From start to finish, this album is well written, well constructed, and brilliantly executed on every level. Well played, well sung, well recorded—well done!

As AC/DC once said, “Rock and roll ain’t noise pollution.”

Over the past few years, I’ve reviewed several records that I declared the best I’d heard in years across various genres. And indeed, they were. But in all those reviews, I have never used an expletive to describe how much I liked a record—until now. To say this is the best album I’ve heard in the past two decades would be a gross understatement.

When I first heard about this album, I knew I had to listen to it. Sometimes, we set our expectations too high, hoping for more than what reality can deliver. I told myself that if this album lived up to just 25% of what I hoped, I would be more than satisfied. Well, it didn’t—not by a long shot.

This album exceeded my expectations by 125%—far beyond anything I imagined. Quite frankly, this is the best f###ing rock and roll record I have heard in 20 years. Period. End of story.

Danny and the Juniors once sang, “Rock and roll is here to stay, it will never die.” And now, more than ever, I am confident that it never will—as long as Ricky Byrd and others like him have breath in their bodies.

Find it. Buy it. Play it. Rock on, rock out, and rock long!