"A Last Time For Everything": Spirit Ritual Song Bios

Spirit Ritual is a 4-piece psych pop / indie rock band based in Nashville, TN. Their style sounds like a mixture of Radiohead, Men I Trust, and Tame Impala.

Their debut EP Midnight Trust (named after their former band name) which was released on Tuesday, 2/22/22 at 2:22AM. They switched their name to Spirit Ritual in early 2022 to invoke a new vision of their sound and enhance their naturally spiritual aura.

 Current band members are:

• Jef Bjarnson: Vox & guitar

• Ian McInroe: Keyboards

• Evan Bundy: Bass

• Christian Scott Northover: Drums

After 2 years of hard work and multiple trips to Loud and Clear Studios (Pahducah, KY), they finally released their debut album "A Last Time for Everything" on 10/6/2024, the birthday of their former drummer, Skyler Rippe who died in a car crash.

Their last song “Drive Safe” is dedicated to Skyler and features an audio recording of him talking (along with track 6 and track 10). The album cover was hand made by Jef and features drawings and relics of Skyler. Ian's personal favorite is “Nightgown" (Feat. Lily Rapoza).

The band members went on a couple of tours and played at venues including Brooklyn Made (NY), Smith’s Olde Bar (Atlanta), and Book Club (Chicago).

Midnight Trust/Spirit Ritual EP cover (below). It features every single lyric from each song along with the names of all band members.

Everyone's name inscribed at the bottom of the album cover

Drive Safe Live - YouTube

Recorded at LOUD AND CLEAR STUDIO LLC (Paducah, KY)

"FILL IN THE BLANK"

Originally composed in 2017 by Ian, the song was brought back from the dead, rearranged some parts, and Jef laid down some interactive lyrics.

This is both a love song and a puzzle, inviting you to guess what the blanks are (hint: they all rhyme)!

• Ian McInroe: Synth, Mixing

• Caroline Cronin: Flute

• Hunter Stevenson: Bass

• Jef Bjarnson: Vocoder, stylophone, electric and acoustic guitar, lyrics, vocals, mixing       

• Christian Hunter Northover: Drums

• Shelby Preklas: Production (engineering, mixing, mastering)

"YOU"

FITB’s spontaneous and manic cousin who’s lived 24 long years (long enough) to make so many obnoxious mistakes that rock bottom finally forces them to rock & roll a little more responsibly.

• Jef Bjarnson: Guitar, lyrics, vocals, pre-mixing

• Ian McInroe: Synth, mixing

• Christian Northover: Drums

• Hunter Stevenson: Bass, lyrics

• Shelby Preklas: Producer

"THIRD NATURE"

This ballad has the album title in it, "...there’s a last time for everything." The lyrics are playful, yet the vocals are emotionally driven.

This is our third song to have this lyrical style in which it’s composed entirely of common phrases and idioms that are twisted up in quirky ways.

• Jef Bjarnson: Glockenspiel, violin, electric bass (bowed), lyrics, vocals

• Ian McInroe: Synth, piano

• Hunter Stevenson: Guitar

• Christian Northover: Drums

• Shelby Preklas: Producer

"2.25"

This is our jazzy child whose time signature is 9/4. It got its name by dividing 9 by 4, which equals 2.25. It’d also be cool if the BPM was 225, right? Well it’s 224… sorry. :P

• Trenton Manning: Drums

• Conner Dacus: Bongos

• Jef Bjarnson: Guitar

• Ian McInroe: Rhodes, synth pads

• Hunter Stevenson: Bass                                              

• John Pineiro: Engineering, mixing

• Shelby Preklas: Mastering

"RING AROUND THE ROSÉ"

(drowsy version)  

We took the single version and slowed it down, pitched it down, and crunched it up to make it feel extra drunk. In the first 9 seconds, we inserted a recording from 6/13/21  featuring Skyler Rippee on drums. That had inspired this song into fruition!

• Skyler Rippee: Intro drums

• Hunter Stevenson: Guitar

• Ian McInroe: Synth

• Jef Bjarnson: Drums, guitar, lyrics, vocals

• Shelby Preklas: Producer

"SPECIAL TIMES"

This was a conversation was captured on 11/7/21 after a band rehearsal at TheTwisted Tea Garden. We layered it over the intro of Rosé, which we reversed and pitched down.

• Skyler Rippee: Spoken word

• Ian McInroe: Synth, mixing

• Hunter Stevenson: Guitar

• Jef Bjarnson: Background vocals

• Shelby Preklas: Mastering

Recorded at LOUD AND CLEAR STUDIO LLC

"OH MY GODDESS"

With lyrics that are playful in the first verse, then beautifully philosophical through to the end, this one’s theme revolves around how "there's never a yang without a yin."

• Hunter Stevenson: Guitar

• Jef Bjarnson: Bass, lyrics, vocals:

• Ian McInroe: Synth, keys

• Christian Northover: Drums

• Shelby Preklas: Producer

"FLOW WITH THE GO"

The lyrical theme involves 40 common phrases that are spun around in silly ways (like Third Nature!).

• Ian McInroe: Synth, keys

• Jef Bjarnson: Drums, bass, kalimba, lyrics, vocals

• Hunter Stevenson: Guitar

• Trenton Manning: Percussion

• Sarah Manzo: Candid adlib

• Shelby Preklas: Producer

"NIGHTGOWN"

Empowering, the sultry lyrics seek to help awaken your

sensual senses, and prompt you to take your body and your relationships into your own hands.

• Lily Raposa: Lyrics, vocals

• Jef Bjarnson: Bass, acoustic guitar, lyrics, vocals, mixing

• Hunter Stevenson: Electric guitar

• Ian McInroe: Synth, keys, mixing

• Christian Northover: Drums

• Wyatt Taber: Pre-mixing

• Shelby Preklas: Producer

"MOMENTUM"

Stemming from a conversation captured on 11/7/21. We layered it over a jam Jef and Ian curated on 11/4/22. Sky’s words here are beautifully inspiring, yet grievingly ironic.

• Skyler Rippee: Spoken word

• Jef Bjarnson: Bass, guitar, background vocals, mixing

• Ian McInroe: Rhodes

• Shelby Preklas: Mastering

"DRIVE SAFE"

This one starts off with a snippet of a jam sesh on Conner’s birthday in 2022 (and layered on top of it is a conversation that took place on Tuesday, 2/22/22).

That jam eventually inspired the transformation of this song, weeks following the tragic death of Skyler Rippee, who fell asleep at the wheel on his way home on 12/31/22. May his spirit live on through us and this album, as we carry on his extraordinary influence.

• Jef Bjarnson, Skyler Rippee: Spoken word

• Conner Dacus: Intro drums, drum machine

• Jef Bjarnson: Bass, rhythm guitar, lyrics, vocals, mixing

• Christian Northover: Drums

• Emily Duncko: Intro & background vocals

• Ian McInroe: Piano, synth

• Hunter Stevenson: Lead guitar

• Shelby Preklas: Producer

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