Former teen-pop artist Ryan Beatty comes back strong as an ‘out and proud’ gay man on his awesome, eclectic & honest debut LP, Boy in Jeans.

Contemporary music has its share of issues, but something that stands out about it is how ‘progressive’ it’s become.  By ‘progressive’ I’m referring to how openly artists can present themselves, particularly when it comes to sexuality. Ryan Beatty, an openly gay, former teen-pop artist, is honest about love and sex throughout the course of his stellar debut album, Boy in Jeans.  Boy in Jeans is an eclectic album, encompassing pop, R&B, and a dash of alternative.

“Haircut”

A soulful groove, robust bass line, electric guitar chords, and synths helps make the backdrop stunning on opener, ✓ “Haircut.”  Once he begins singing (following a one-minute instrumental intro), Ryan Beatty serves up superb vocals that are both assertive and clear.  Specifically, he delivers lovely falsetto on the second half of the chorus.  “Haircut” marks an awesome start to Boy in Jeans.

✓ “Euro” continues awesomely, mixing urban contemporary and alt-R&B with some throwback cues. His vocals are slick and lush.  Furthermore, he exhibits an adventurous spirit, showcasing honesty about what he wants in life, as well as his dislikes.  The chorus is catchy, simple, and slightly left-of-center:

“All my cash is in euros
All my coins are in yen
All my boys European
All my money is gone.”

Boys play a big role on the album, as the title suggests.

“Cupid”

“And when we get older / And y’all break up someday / And this is not a secret / Maybe then you’ll say you love me back / But until then I’ll be dreaming about that.” On ✓ “Cupid,” Beatty is open about love.  As aforementioned, he’s ‘out and proud’ with nothing to hide.  Filled with vocals with unique effects, he begins addressing his desires: “He’s the only one on my mind / He’s the only one I call when I’m feeling reckless / Tell me that you’re mine.” The second verse is particularly telling:

“Press your lips against my neck
With me you don’t pretend like you’re with your girlfriend
She’s nice but she’s not me
She’s nice but hates me
Date me, I’m just playing
Didn’t mean to say that…
But if you’re down, so am I
I can’t lie.”

✓ “Bruise” continues his pursuit to ‘live his truth’ – “And he dances… / That’s my man.” On the first verse, he expresses his experience of going to a dance with his girlfriend, leaving without her, and ultimately, making out with a boy in the boys’ bathroom. On the bridge, he ratchets up the innuendo (“Pony boy ride on… In my dreams, in my fucking dreams”), and admits to being “selfish” regarding his girlfriend (“Now she’s crying on my shoulder / ‘Cause I left her alone / I’m selfish, ‘cause all I can think about is you”). Socially, many should be able to relate to his experiences.

“Camo”

Production continues to be a huge selling point ✓  “Camo”, the second advance single of Boy in Jeans.  Here, Beatty is depressed about his lot in life as a high school student/young adult. Essentially, he experiences an existential crisis and isn’t free to be true to himself.  Despite questioning his identity, he continues to impress vocally, particularly the agility he exhibits on the rhythmic melody. The chorus is deep despite its simplicity:

“Camo print depression
I keep my feelings hidden
No pills, no thrills
I’m not used to winning
But that’s life, that’s life.”

“When you walk in the room stops talking / The boys are flocking / They want you.” Once more, he’s honest about relationships with guys on “Party’s Over,” flipping a straight-associated cliché to fit his sexuality.  As with any crush, while he’s willing to be friends, he also willing to “be more than friends, if you want to.”

If the intro about buying an Uber seems a bit surprising on “Money,” Beatty successfully ties in the skit on the refrain (pre-chorus):

“When you’ve got friends
And you got that money
Honey they’re your friends until the money’s spent
Pay that bill
Trigger pulled too fast
Now you’re driving home and you are all alone.”

On the chorus, he’s looking for a legitimate romance: “Call me good, call me bad / Don’t care what you say just call me back / Money comes and people go / But I won’t live forever.”

“God in Jeans”

Beatty gets ‘blasphemous’ on the chorus of ✓ “God in Jeans,” which is clearly about sex. “God is real, he was sleeping in my bed last night / We were naked with the radio on / Played him my favorite song.” “God in Jeans” features a sick, hard-hitting, soulful beat.  This provides as a great anchor to the alt-pop/rock sound. “God in Jeans” is different from anything else on this album.  Besides the aforementioned, there are more spiritual references on the verses including prayer, joy, preaching, and choir. On the second verse, he seems to address both his boyfriend, and judgmental people as he sings, “Oh my God, you know I need ya / If I’m going to hell, I’m taking you with me.”  There are Christians (not all) who don’t approve of homosexuality, and consider it a ticket to hell.

“Crash” is the first of two two-part songs. The first part of the song seems to be a bit more playful and plays up a car crash. The second part of the song focuses more on being in love and infatuation.  The lyricism of the second part stands out:

“My insomnia’s acting up
Or am I in love with ya, I don’t know
Tracing the V on your abdomen
Like Siamese twins and making me feel precious.”

✓ “Powerslide” plays up the soulful summer, West Coast vibes. The record screams infatuation and sex, making a couple of references to pleasure. On the first verse, it’s a ‘pool job’:

“He gave me pleasure underneath the water
And it felt so good
Now we’re power sliding till the flood spurts stop us…”

On the second, he’s playful with words, while being explicit at the same time.

“Now we share a couple of cigarettes before we go to bed and you
Got the plastic
That’s fucking fantastic.”

The relationship between them is lit, period.

“Speed” 

“Speed” is the second two-part song.  The first part has its fair share of sexual innuendo: “You got that tattoo from your best friend in your bedroom / You let him stick and poke you.”  Hmm, doesn’t seem to be about a tattoo. The second part is politically/socially charged. “Pink Floyd” definitely sounds high and spacey (“Smoking the Pink Floyd every night”). Beatty is reminiscent and reflective.  The best part about the song are the soulful ad-libs at the end.

Penultimate number “Flash” returns to a pop/rock, alternative-infused style.  Here, he suggests that life is fleeting – “I’m not ready to say goodbye.” The vocals are heavy on reverb, but the resulting sound is marvelous.  The robustness of the sound is a pro, not to mention the ‘cute’ outro:

“I don’t like it when you don’t like me
Well I don’t like it when you don’t like me
I’m glad we’re agreeing
Huh?
I said, I’m glad we’re agreeing.”

“Rhinestone” successfully concludes with its soulful, retro vibes.  As he exhibits throughout the entirety of Boy in Jeans, there’s plenty of swagger in Beatty’s vocal approach and attitude.

Final Thoughts 

Rather than opt for a traditional modern pop album, Ryan Beatty sets himself apart from the crowd on Boy in Jeans.  He still tackles love and sex, but he keeps things interesting by experimenting and being eclectic.  Boy in Jeans features excellent vocals, meaningful songs encompassing important social themes, and outstanding production work.

✓ Gems: “Haircut,” “Euro,” “Cupid,” “Bruise,” “Camo,” “God in Jeans” & “Powerslide”  

Ryan Beatty • Boy in Jeans • Boy in Jeans • Release: 7.20.18

Photo Credit: Boy in Jeans