01. NEED TO DRIVE
Classic country storytelling of the feeling many can relate to. That compulsion to get in your car, put the pedal to the floor and seek short term escape from your problems.
02. LIFE IS A RODEO
Comparing life's journey to the cowboy staple, we navigate the ups and downs like the rodeo games, but are you the rider, or the bull?
03. WIDE OPEN PLAINS
For those preferring the green grass and clear skies, over concrete blocks and skyscrapers this song hails nature as the world's best architect.
04. BEAUTY IN THE RAIN
Bad weather doesn't need to ruin your plans. Finding joy in the moments carved by storms mirrors the attitude of finding the best in bad situations.
05. BIBLE, BOTTLE, GUN
Leaning on classic country vibes, this storytelling piece forecasts the impending loss of a father and a son's relationship to the belongings left behind.
06. A LITTLE TOO MUCH
A glass of whisky can help us all survive, but what about when 1 becomes several and we start to numb our existence. Addiction, not survival, and the feelings it brings out in us.
07. TEXAS DREAM
A re-recording of the debut single, this song tells of the dream of leaving home for brighter pastures new. It celebrates the positive stereotypes of a life in the lonestar state, but also what elements of home that keep you bound to where you were born.
08. RIGHT BACK TO YOU
A promise song, talking of doing whatever, travelling from wherever and doing it whenever to back to your loved one in need. Friend, family or lover, moving the earth to be by their side.
09. WEATHER'S HOLD
Talking about the frustration that the changing weather in the UK dictates how happy we feel and what we can do with our life. When the weather changes, so does our mood.
10. THE RIGHT GIRL
What's a country album without a classic romantic tale of boy-meets-girl?
11. AIN'T LIKE THE MOVIES
The reality of romance in day-to-day life. It isn't perfect, it is never a smooth ride and it's certainly not as perfect as we see in hollywood movies.
12. AS TOUGH AS I LOOK
Painting a self-portrait of my confidence vulnerabilities despite my mean exterior. I'm often judged for my height, build and tattoo collection, but deep down, there's a cavern of insecurities.
13. PORCH LIGHTS
My favourite thing to do, after a rough week. Pack up the Jeep, set up camp in the wilderness and just be with your favourite person, alone, undisturbed.
14. NEED TO DRIVE (Acoustic)
A stripped-back version of the primary track from part 1 of the album. Relying on soundtracks of acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar and light percussion, the lyrics and emotion are centre stage in this rendition of the break away single from the initial release.
CRITIC REVIEWs
JAMES DAYKIN 3/5
‘One Door Closes' arrives with a clear sense of identity: a self-built, self-shaped debut that wears its influences openly while carving out a distinctly Scottish take on modern country.
For fans of ERNEST, Luke Combs, and Josh Abbott — but with a rougher, more homespun edge that reflects its DIY roots and Ryan's ‘one man band' operation.
From the opening moments of ‘Need to Drive' the tone is set with muscular vocals and a gravelly delivery that leans heavily into that Combs-meets-HARDY lane. The line “It’s hard to see the bottom of the bottle” encapsulates the album’s emotional palette: introspective, worn, and searching.
ENTERTAINMENT FOCUS 3.5/5
An intriguing introduction to an artist carving out his own corner of country music, blending the wide-open spirit of Texas with a distinctly Scottish perspective.
One Door Closes, Another One Opens marries gruff, muscular vocals with country, rock and 90s post-grunge influences, creating a sound that could sit somewhere between Luke Combs and Creed while retaining an unmistakably homespun identity.
It is a debut that occasionally wore its DIY limitations on its sleeve, but those rough edges were also part of its charm.
9LOUNGES NASHVILLE
In a UK country scene increasingly filled with polished productions and familiar formulas, The Rural Lonely is carving out a space that feels considerably more personal. The project, led by Ryan, brings together American country influences, Scottish melancholy, and a distinctly British perspective to create music that sits somewhere between modern country, Americana, and reflective singer-songwriter storytelling.
What makes Rural Lonely particularly interesting is that the project does not appear designed to fit neatly into a commercial box. Its strength lies in authenticity.
Ryan's music brings together the toughness of modern country with vulnerability, allowing the songs to feel both grounded and emotionally open. There is a sense that the music comes from lived experience rather than from a checklist of genre conventions.
For listeners discovering independent UK country artists, Rural Lonely offers a compelling alternative: music that respects the traditions of country while refusing to be restricted by them.