Isn’t a stretch to compare Ranzel X. Kendrick’s, aka Alias Wayne’s, music with Cormac McCarthy’s writing. The author of such novels as No Country for Old Men, Blood Meridian, and The Road, among others, shares Kendrick’s apocalyptic predilections, his affinity for the authentic above all else, and the same rustic, burnished gravitas distinguishes their artistic output. Kendrick’s new single as Alias Wayne entitled “Ms Mystery” takes a long view of human affairs, but the view is also dim. It isn’t a song that finds much hope about humanity’s predicament, but its very existence signifies our need to keep going, no matter how grim the future may or may not be.
The Alias Wayne single marries Kendrick’s whiskey and nicotine voice with pleasing backing vocals. It helps sweeten an otherwise intense, desperate message. The backing vocals naturally cede sonic ground to Kendrick’s singing while still offering critical support that helps broaden the song’s sound and appeal. The production for “Ms Mystery” maintains a tasteful balance between the voices and instrumental touches, never focusing on one at the other’s expense, and rendering each component of the song with the clarity it deserves.
The song’s blues debts are clear. It isn’t far removed, in spirit, from Delta acoustic blues, but the aforementioned backing vocals introduce low-key R&B influences you wouldn’t hear in that sort of primal blues. Gospel influences are evident as well. You hear them in the vocal structure, but they are present in the lyrics, especially. The writing for “Ms Mystery” reflects a thorough grounding in the Book of Revelation without ever quoting from Scripture chapter and verse. Kendrick’s ability to invoke that atmosphere without direct references is indicative of his skill.
He doesn’t overextend the song’s mandate. He cuts “Ms Mystery” to the right length, never rushing the performance, yet never elongating it without reason. The song’s sturdy construction features numerous payoff moments for listeners in the right places and Kendrick’s writing eschews any instrumental self-indulgence.
His lyrics possess a poetic veneer without ever flying over listener’s heads. Kendrick shows clear experience with penning a track that aspires to more than a straightforward accounting of cliches while still remaining utterly accessible for listeners. His writing for “Ms Mystery” hinges on a handful of key phrases scattered throughout the lyrics and not a single line comes across as a mere placeholder.
His latest Alias Wayne single should further solidify the nom de plume’s growing catalog as one that reaches for goals beyond the commonplace, the everyday. “Ms Mystery” attempts, in its small way, to take a measure of the times and Kendrick assumes the role of prophetic voice without ever sounding strident or heavy-handed. “Ms Mystery” is an exceptional standalone single with every part ranking as first-rate.
Being the nephew of country music legend Roger Miller, famed for “King of the Road” and other iconic classic country tunes, means Ranzel X. Kendrick has music in his DNA. This is an art that exists for him at a cellular level. As such, his performance of “Ms Mystery” under the guise of Alias Wayne flows naturally, unhindered by self-consciousness, and sticks in your memory long after the song ends.
Garth Thomas