When I am listening to the track ‘One Less Love’, I can imagine myself sitting at a staircase somewhere in New York City, watching people moving by, while Ricky Byrd sits next to me, blasting out another one of the perfect short stories he presents on his début solo album ‘Lifer’. I could name-drop a whole bunch of artists that you might think of when listening to the album, but it doesn’t matter – because first and foremost ‘Lifer’ stand so extremely firm on its own. It doesn’t need to be sold on the names of others, although Byrd himself mentions a number of his inspirations during the first track ‘Rock’n'Roll Boys’. He’s allowed – he has paid his dues and then some. What I really enjoy about the album is the ability Byrd has to present his music a bit tongue in cheek – he’s 110% New York, and not afraid to let it be heard, and you get the idea that he has recorded the album with a big fat grin on his face, and that grin is something you as a listener adopt upon hearing the songs. Listen to the song ‘Married Man’ and smile, lend your ear to the timeless and powerful ‘Wide Open’ which has some fabulous hooks in the beginning. ‘Turnstile ’01′ is about NYC and 9/11, but it’s not contrived or intrusive, but an expression of love. Play ‘Ways of a Woman’, with some excellent horns – that song has soul! His guitar-playing is excellent and pure. No exaggerations, no attempts to sound larger than life – besides – Byrd does not need to prove anything – he’s proven it all through