{"id":32207,"date":"2025-04-25T07:57:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T05:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/addtowantlist.com\/?p=32207"},"modified":"2025-04-24T17:38:57","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T15:38:57","slug":"new-album-ryan-allen-livin-on-a-prayer-on-the-edge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/addtowantlist.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/25\/new-album-ryan-allen-livin-on-a-prayer-on-the-edge\/","title":{"rendered":"New album: Ryan Allen || Livin\u2019 On A Prayer On The Edge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this week, Ryan Allen posted a live video of an early ’90s Teenage Fanclub performance. It featured a rowdy, hard-rockin\u2019 version of God Knows It\u2019s True<\/em>, and Allen commented: \u201cIt\u2019s weird that the older Teenage Fanclub get, the less they want to sound like this\u2014while the older I<\/em> get, the MORE I want to sound like this.\u201d That says a lot. Deep down, Allen is still that 15-year-old kid hungry for new sounds, excited to discover and rediscover the magic of loud and catchy guitar music. And that\u2019s why we at Add To Wantlist keep returning to his work, every time. It\u2019s also why we recently broke our \u201cno single tracks\u201d rule just to premiere a video<\/a> from his new solo album\u2014his seventh!\u2014Livin\u2019 On A Prayer On The Edge<\/em>, which is out today.<\/p>\n

Despite being rooted in teenage energy, this record sounds mature, accomplished\u2014and yes, like a full-on ’90s throwback made by someone who lived through that era and never let go of what made it special. Allen calls this his most \u201cME\u201d album, and it shows. He fully leans into his love for crunchy guitars and alt-pop hooks, all while writing about what\u2019s close to him: the joys of domestic life, the struggle to leave a creative mark on the world, the pull of DIY values, and also the harder stuff\u2014anxiety, corporate monotony, and existential unease.<\/p>\n

The album opens strong with I Should (But I Don\u2019t Really Wanna)<\/em>, a sharp and relatable power pop anthem that sums up the human condition in under three minutes. Lost In A Daze<\/em> keeps the flow going with the kind of seemingly effortless songwriting that would be infuriating if you were trying to do it yourself\u2014but it\u2019s a joy to hear. Then come more standouts: Anxious All The Time<\/em>, After I\u2019m Dead<\/em>, and the rugged jolt of Devil\u2019s Juice<\/em>, which had me checking if my player had jumped to Daniel Romano\u2019s Outfit. The surprises keep coming with The Construction Man<\/em> and the goosebump-inducing acoustic closer In The Next Life<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Livin\u2019 On A Prayer On The Edge<\/em> may have started as a personal record, but it plays like a love letter to all of us\u2014kids of all ages who still care deeply about guitar-driven pop music with heart and soul. Ryan Allen is a true believer, a hopeless romantic, and the world is better because of it.<\/p>\n

LP and CD available now through Setterwind Records.<\/p>\n