Riddy Arman
La Honda Records/ Thirty Tigers
Riddy Arman may be the newest talent at La Honda Records, but her strong song writing and ability to emote truthful sentiment through her storytelling have carved out her own place in the “bunk house.” She, like her label mate, Colter Wall, works a cattle ranch when not on the road, and like her other label mates Vincent Neil Emerson and The Local Honeys, can draw you right in to the stories she writes. Her eponymous debut album, Riddy Arman, is a solid first effort that checks all the right boxes for a future classic album.
The album opener “Spirits, Angels, or Lies” is a sparsely sung tale of a visit from Johnny Cash to the main character’s father who is in the hospital the night before Cash died. It’s storytelling at its finest and as good as it is, she’s just getting started. “Half A Heart Keychain” is based on a true story as told by Riddy at a live show I attended in 2021 at Vinyl Cup Records in Des Moines, Iowa during her tour.
“Both of My Hands” is eerie and haunting as Riddy paints a picture set around a campfire before her cover of the Kris Kristofferson hit, “Help Me Make It Through The Night.” Her version is raw and sparse, and Riddy’s voice really sells the song as if she lived each line herself and is telling you about it over a cup of coffee. “Old Maids Draw” is another really strong track that is about a valley in Montana, someplace that she knows from firsthand experience.
The album finishes with two songs that I feel may be the most representative of her talent and where I hope her songwriting continues: “Too Late To Write A Love song” and “Problems Of My Own”. Both songs have interesting vocal lines and strong lyrics from the heart. I feel her best work is yet to come, and this album is a beautiful hint at the talent that I have no doubt will continue to grow over each successive album.
The album is available on all streaming services and online retailers. There are a variety of colored vinyl copies available through independent record stores as well as CDs and digital downloads. Follow her on her socials and find a show to attend locally the next time she’s out on the road.
