Boston’s music community has seen music man Ryan Lee Crosby take many roles around town over the years, first as the frontman for local punk trio Cancer to the Stars, but more recently as a noise maker (and noise recorder) at The Soul Shop in Medford and as an accomplished ramblin’ solo artist. His latest work, “Institution Blues,” was about as bare bones as Crosby has ever performed, displaying veteran fingerpicking, howling blues verses, and a modern aesthetic to vintage folk and soul forms. “Going to Bentonia,” the fifth track from the release, is the perfect embodiment of the spirit of the record– it has simple verse structure decorated by delta riffing and a cool sandpapery growl. Today, we’re pleased to debut the music video for the track, shot and directed by Reuben Bettsak, also a man of many musical trades in town, being a member of Guillermo Sexo, Future Carnivores, and his latest solo outfit Emerald Comets.
The release of this video comes in good time, as Crosby will play the Plough & Stars this Saturday, April 19 with Possum and Michael Tarbox, shortly after playing gigs this week in Nashville and Mississippi. Crosby is currently recording a new LP to be released on German label Jellyfant Records.