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The Gateway
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Apr 5 2016
Kelly Langin, Arts & Entertainment Editor
University of Nebraska at Omaha student Ethan Ray doubles as an English graduate student and a rock musician. But in a music scene that often seems bogged down by its own indie music cred, Ray’s band Pyrate offers a more old-fashioned approach in its music that still seems fresh to its listeners.
Take Revenge, the EP on Pyrate’s Bandcamp site. There are elements you can find in hipster bands like Wavves, but there’s a sense of earnest throwback to true rock and roll that is evident in Pyrate’s material.
Ray began Pyrate (pronounced like “pirate”) in the summer of 2012 after finishing his undergraduate degree. He started his graduate studies at UNO in the fall of 2014 and focused more on Pyrate, recording EPs and a single the following year. Ray spent time living in Minneapolis after high school partly because of music, but found he could easily play music in Omaha, which consistently has a growing music scene.
“I want to be where the music is,” Ray said. “The music’s here right now. I don’t see that changing any time soon.”
Ray is the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Pyrate. In the recordings available on Bandcamp, he shines as his rough snarls match dirty guitar riffs without getting lost in them.
Pyrate seems to be all about good ol’ rock and roll at its prime, borrowing elements from the genre’s beginnings. Blues is immensely evident in Pyrate’s material, as are the DIY elements of fuzzy garage rock.
The latest release is a single titled “Can’t Get It” from last August. Ray said it was a lot more involved in terms of recording and producing, which created a more polished product. He said recording the single was a good experience for how he wants to record Pyrate’s material in the future.
“Can’t Get It” is polished in its production, but it isn’t lost on Pyrate’s signature rock and roll grit. The song follows a simple, head-banging until its climax. The lead guitar solo is something out of a 1970s rock show and rounds out the single.
Revenge EP is a collection you can throw at a dad the next time he says this generation of music is terrible. “Buckle Your Shoe” revs up the EP with distorted guitars. The track introduces Ray’s snarl as he counts through his version of a popular children’s rhyme.
The rest of the EP is led by a heavy and droning bass, with guitar riffs straight out of a classic record collection. Pyrate would translate well live for a great head-banging rock show. There are no intricacies. The material is rock and roll as solid and hard as cement or steel.
As Pyrate’s founder, Ray said he is the primary songwriter, though he enjoys collaborating with his bandmates on every song.
He noted that he’s not a “dictator,” and said that while he comes up with the initial idea, riff, and melody line, he lets the rest of the band members write their own parts.
“I like the organic approach to music where you let the song come as it is and not try to force a part to be a certain way,” Ray said. “You just let it happen.”
Ray said working on graduate studies and writing material for a music project is mostly rewarding. He said he has had to cancel practice because of school before, and he extends that sentiment to his other band members.
Ray said he understands the rest of the band has other obligations and projects, and he would never tell them they can work on only one thing at a time.
Ray plans to graduate next semester and will continue making music with Pyrate. He said although recording is in the “distant horizon,” and Pyrate isn’t playing shows as of late, but the project is busy in the songwriting process.
“We’re trying to stay creative by writing some new material,” Ray said. “We’ve been working on the same songs for quite a while now and we need to get some writing done.”
The Revenge EP and “Can’t Get It” single can be found at pyraterockandroll.bandcamp.com. More information on Pyrate releases and shows can be found on its Facebook page.