Matt LuceyRen is a 35 year old Welsh multi-instrumentalist and song-writer from Andlesey. He became enamoured with music at the age of 10 after receiving a guitar from his father. A fan of classic rock as well as more modern genres, Ren’s range of influences would create his unique style. From Hendrix to Eminem, his taste was wide and indiscriminate. At the age of 16, Ren wrote his first song and began busking the following year. I found Ren from videos of The Big Push, a band of talented musicians in which he played multiple instruments. The band primarily busked on the streets of Britain, gaining huge crowds and a large online fanbase.
“Jenny’s Tale”
One of Rens biggest hits was called “Jenny’s Tale”. This song made Ren a viral sensation. It was a story accompanied by a guitar, set to a video of him walking down an alleyway. The song told the story of Jenny, a young girl who was mugged and killed while walking home. Screech, her attacker, fled the scene. In a later song, “Screech’s tale“, the story continued. With the same vocals, backed up by an acoustic guitar, this sequel was unexpected but welcome.
The sequels
Screech’s story picked up from “Jenny’s Tale”, with Screech scrambling to come to terms with what he had done. After a short search for asylum, Screech is shot and killed one street from the scene of the crime. This felt like a full circle but, as it turns out, this was not the end. Later, Ren released the third instalment, “Violet’s tale“. This instalment details the tale of Violet. Sharing a common styling as the other two songs, the carried theme makes this storytelling technique extremely engaging. This sad song details the depressing life of Violet, a poor girl that lived a difficult life. Caught in an abusive relationship, Violet is killed, leaving two children who are put up for adoption. These children would grow up to be our other two characters, Screech and Jenny.
“Vincent’s Tale”
Surely this was the end of the story. Until recently, Ren released the fourth instalment of this unravelling tale: “Vincent’s Tale”. While not directly related by characters (yet). This song follows the same structure and theme as the other. With a lone guitar and vocals, this song just fits in. Telling the story of Vincent, this song details a deep hatred of ones situation in life. This pessimistic track details the violent urges that present themselves when not dealt with correctly. The titular character is getting into fights out of frustration and helplessness. The tone and ambience of the track are unsettling and match the message and tone perfectly.
The vocals are, as usual, incredible. Rens ability to switch between his unique style of storytelling and singing is on full display here, switching back and forth constantly throughout the song. The guitar is a great accompaniment, nothing mindblowing but suiting the song perfectly. The fingerstyle, which is a common thread throughout the tales, is great. It jumps from soft and melodic to frantic to match the lyrics and singing style.
In Conclusion
I have loved these songs from my first listen and, knowing there’s more, I wait with anticipation for later instalments. Ren’s entire catalogue is certainly worth a listen if you want to try something unique. A fantastic and honest musician, making his mark on the world.
