Ryan Edward Kotler Releases "Mary Anne"
- R.A.G.
- 23 hours ago
- 1 min read
Ryan Edward Kotler has spent the last couple of years carving out a distinctive lane in modern folk. Early releases like "In My Time of Constant Sorrow," "Loneliness Is Killing," and "Insomnia" established him as a songwriter who favors honesty over polish and thrives in sparse, emotionally direct arrangements. Those tracks leaned on acoustic guitar, voice, and minimal ornamentation, earning praise for their restraint and rawness.
"Mary Anne" feels like a genuine step forward. Kotler previewed the track with a live clip at the piano, noting that it will appear on his upcoming debut LP recorded at the Church Studio. That shift matters because piano shapes the entire mood of the song. Instead of his usual bare bones guitar work, "Mary Anne" leans into a late night closing time vibe with steady piano chords, gentle drums, and just enough atmosphere to give it a soft glow.
The core remains the storytelling and the vocal performance, and Kotler delivers one of his most cathartic takes yet. He sings with the confessional clarity that marked his earlier work, but the choruses open up in a way that feels new, almost like he is allowing the song to stretch into a fuller emotional space. It is intimate, grounded, and quietly ambitious.
"Mary Anne" suggests that Kotler is expanding his palette without losing what makes his writing resonate. It is a simple song with a lived in heart and it hints at a debut LP ready to push beyond his lo fi folk beginnings.