A couple of months ago, I wrote reviews of The Ram singles, which served as heralds of his new album. And now the release of “I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere” is out – and I want to talk a bit about what this thing is. Essentially, these are home demos, reimagined together with his band, and there’s something very warm and familial about that. He sings about surfing, the road, family, loss, and hope – all set against the backdrop of Southern California light. But at the same time, the roots run deep: into the artist’s personal memories. The new album is nine tracks, which in my opinion, are divided into two separate chapters. The first introduces the listener to new musical stories, while the second gently preserves already familiar themes, giving the feeling of reuniting with old friends.
Photography by Mark “The Ram” O’Donnell | Instagram: @therammusic
So here we go, there’s a lot to talk about. “Listen to the Cold” is the first story, and a very personal one for the artist, because it’s about his father. Many years have passed since he passed away. The pain hasn’t disappeared with time, but to it has been added a warm desire to preserve the memory. In telling his children about their grandfather, he realizes that it’s now his turn to become that invisible connecting link, whose love and wisdom will protect the next generation. This track sounds like a quiet prayer, and I’ll honestly admit that I’ve never heard such a touching, even dramatic, performance in The Ram’s voice before. It made a strong impression on me. What can I say, sometimes it just hits you like that!
The musical story continues with the track “The Moon’s Loving Light”, inspired by his youth, and tells of his fateful encounter with a close-knit community of artists, musicians, and writers in New Paltz. That brotherhood gave him the very push onto the path he’s still walking today. This song is for each of them. Just think about it – artists, musicians, writers all around – an atmosphere where you can truly open up. And the story with the moon after a party – that’s pure fire! A guy sitting there, and suddenly this beauty hits, and ideas start flooding in. It’s clear why that moment became such an inspiration for the song. So cool when things like that happen!
Photography by Mark “The Ram” O’Donnell | Instagram: @therammusic
In exactly this mood, The Ram performs “Love is a Terrible Thing to Waste,” recalling his time in New York and Philadelphia. He created a soundtrack to the street school of life – he was robbed, ridiculed, beaten, deceived. He went through everything, but it didn’t embitter him. On the contrary, he began to see the light in people, even when everything around was darkness. Now, he walks straight into the fire, not for revenge, but with love. The world has gone mad, but if you have warmth inside you – share it. Because love is not something you can waste recklessly. That’s it. Simple and human. On the other hand, “Unbound” was born in a completely different mood -according to the author, he started writing it during the pandemic, when the world was falling apart. He saw a video recording of himself improvising on his phone and realized – the song was ready, and it would speak for itself. It’s not about verse-chorus, but about a state – wild, alive energy bursting out when the world contracts into a cage. No need to explain – just feel. That’s how freedom should be.
The instrumental “Flip Jam” gently leads into the second chapter of the album, which opens with “Everything” – a song like a letter to oneself from the past. The author wrote it in an old room full of memories. With his brother’s guitar in hand, surrounded by family, he captured a moment – warm, alive, real. For some, it’s an old farm, but for him, it’s a source of inspiration. He saw beauty in the everyday. “Everything” is for those who tried to understand themselves and created, even without realizing it. In turn, the track “Perpetual Change” raises the theme of family and values. Its essence is simple: life is short, don’t waste it. Believe in yourself and your work. Appreciate your loved ones while they’re around. And if they’re no longer here – remember them, talk about them, keep their memory. Because time erases many things – faces, smells, even voices. But not feelings, they remain. Sometimes in old melodies, sometimes in fragments of memory.
Photography by Mark “The Ram” O’Donnell | Instagram: @therammusic
Now imagine: New York, autumn of 1987, a group of friends spills out of a Grateful Dead concert, all full of emotions, on acid (well, it was the ’80s), and the last train has already left. As a result – an overnight stay in the NBC lobby at Rockefeller Center. Spontaneous, wild, fun. “Join Along” is exactly about such moments. When there’s no clear plan, but there’s freedom, friends, and night. This song is like a light “hey, come with us,” and it doesn’t matter where. What matters is who you’re with. The final track “Warmth of the Fire” is a warm memory of the land, family, and everyday things that warm you stronger than any bonfire. The story of a family evening on a farm in the Pennsylvania countryside: the fire crackles, the smell of bread and freshly cut grass, and inside the house – five children, loving and loved grandparents, and parents. The Ram remembers his childhood, when helping others wasn’t a rule, but a way of life. Neighbors were like family – they came to water the horses, worked together, lived together.
The album “I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere” turned out to be sincere and autobiographical. Against the backdrop of powerful sound and vivid lyrics, it becomes a kind of map of the artist’s life. In his work, The Ram finds a balance between calm and storm, simplicity and depth, conveying the spirit of Southern California, his love for his roots, and a tribute to his late father. There is no pretentiousness here – only familiar, cozy, and painfully honest moments. And that truly touches the heart. The recording is a cohesive portrait of the artist, his band, and their way of life – it’s a whole life in itself.
Official music video of Listen to the Cold, taken outside Mammoth Lakes, CA.
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