From the gorgeous guitar on the instrumental “Miami Weiss (Part I)” (coming off like The Cure’s poppiest song to
date) to “I Studied for the Drug Test” (with such biting observations,
I’m sure it’s what Morrissey would sound like if raised on an Okie diet
of steak and potatoes), Siler’s solo debut is unique to its genre. The
sound is meaty and will stick to your emotional bones.

The
bass-heavy “Hurry Valentine” is a sad rocker that will leave even the
most masculine among us dancing with ourselves in the loneliness of
single-lamp bedrooms, pining over that one girl who can’t stand you. The
theme continues on “Cover Me Over,” which opens with the beautifully
acerbic lines of “This is an ‘I don’t need you’ song / You will not find
an ‘I love you’ anywhere.”

It’s the type of song that will go on hateful mixtapes for years to come. And really, that is why Real as Ritual works
so well in parts, almost more than a cohesive whole: Each track is ripe
to be plucked for the very real ritual of making a playlist to go with
each aspect of a relationship — from sweet to bittersweet to bitter. —Louis Fowler

Hey! Read This:
• The Fellowship Students interview