Rick: the album to keep “In Your Pocket”
By BENNIE GRIEB
Seven years. One Album. Fans of Ricky Montgomery had been left without a second album after he had published Montgomery Ricky all the way back in 2016. Before the announcement of his sophomore album in June of 2023, Ricky had released three of the album’s singles beforehand. The album would later be revealed as Rick, an eleven song album featuring three interludes that shine in on the dark past of the album.
September 29, had set the release of Rick, an album dedicated to Ricky Montgomery’s late father who had passed away in 2009. With songs such as “Black Fins,” “Boy Toy,” and “One Way Mirror,” Ricky takes the listener on a trip of grief, desperation, and the feeling of losing what matters to you. The three interludes titled “I’m Just Joking In This Interlude,” “We Got Married Twice,” and “Ribbons,” shows audio recordings of Ricky’s mom and the stories that she tells of Ricky’s father. However, certain songs such as “Type A” allow the listener to take a break from these depressing moments.
Rick begins with the opening song called “One Way Mirror,” which already sets the listener in a sad tone. The song does a perfect job of setting the mood for the other 13 singles in the album. “One Way Mirror” begins by showing how the narrator had relied on someone for too much, that once they were alone, everything had shattered for them. The song is able to perfectly describe how it is to lose someone you love, featuring lyrics such as “I wanna getcha back / I wanna run to you.”
“Boy Toy” follows after “One Way Mirror,” and as the name suggests, the song is about being happy over self-validation and being wanted, even if the role is not good. “Boy Toy” starts off on a happy note, but as the song progresses, the lyrics take a darker turn. Lyrics such as, “You don’t need to be so nice / I’ll be your boy toy / You can wear me out,” shows that even though the narrator may be constantly harassed and bullied, they would do anything for self-validation. “Boy Toy” not only encapsulates that feeling, but also shows the yearning to be needed that anyone could feel. Ricky Montgomery is able to demonstrate these feelings in this song, but so many other emotions as well.
Track 5, “In Your Pocket,” is another song about desperation. The lyrics are a great example of how yearning for validation in life can lead a person to vulnerability, and eventually depression if they get played with. Verses such as, “Still miss you when I’m alone / Take me with you whenever you’re out,” shows the desperation that the narrator feels to be wanted by another person. But, with this yearning of self-love, Ricky writes about how vulnerable a person can feel when they seek validation.
“Truth or Dare” is the third single from Rick. The song starts off with talking about doing drugs and hiding inside of a closet when police came by. “Truth or Dare ” shows how desperate someone can be when it comes to be “apart” of society, whether that’s through activities and behaviorism or looks. The song repeats how trying to fit in with all these “cool” activities leads the narrator in an endless cycle, or as the song says, “Spinning in this carousel.” With these lyrics, Ricky is able to demonstrate the desperation that comes with wanting to fit in with everyone else.
Both “Type A” and “Eraser” have a different theme from the rest of Rick. “Eraser” is about facing inner-demons head on, while “Type A” is about finding someone who accepts you. In “Eraser,” the narrator sings about unwanted mistakes but still managing to move forward, with a verse like “Don’t walk, don’t quit,” and an upbeat melody. “Type A” tackles a unique bond between two individuals. The narrator sings lyrics such as “You’re my world, my pеrfect girl,” as they feel accepted as a person.
Tracks 10 through 12, “Paper Towel,” “Sometimes I Need To Be Alone”, and “Ethan’s Song” all tackle the aftermath of the relationship between the two individuals in “Type A.” The tenth single, “Paper Towel,” explains how the narrator feels as if while he’s giving the relationship his all, the significant other is not. The lyrics describe a sense of frustration, but also demonstrate the protagonist’s determination to try and resolve the issue. “Paper Towel” can relate to that feeling of not wanting to cut someone out of your life over petty arguments. That feeling is something that anyone could struggle with.
Track 11, “Sometimes I Need To Be Alone,” is a song about isolation. The song seems to take place after a breakup, and now the narrator wants to shun himself away from the world, but still longing for the embrace of human warmth. “Sometimes I Need To Be Alone” embodies the depressive moment that any person can feel. This song’s depressive tone sets the audience in the atmosphere of the final two tracks, and the outro.
“Ethan’s Song” is about living your life to the fullest. The single is able to easily convey a powerful message about living your life and that your emotions of feeling vulnerable isn’t a weakness. The narrator repeats the phrases of “I love you” showing the desperation that they have to get back together in the relationship.
The last single, called “Black Fins,” is the final dedication to Ricky’s dad. “Black Fins” has Ricky as the narrator putting himself into the shoes of his father before the moment of his death. The last song of Rick is an impactful one to leave the audience feeling almost exactly like Ricky did, alone and depressed. This moment in Rick is an impactful time for the audience, as it concludes the sophomore album in a somber tone.
Rick also features three interludes named, “I’m Just Joking In This Interlude,” “We Got Married Twice,” and “Ribbons.” Each interlude features a woman named Stephanie Church retelling a story of Ricky’s father. “I’m Just Joking In This Interlude” features a story of when Ricky’s dad had tucked Ricky to bed one night and “We Got Married Twice” retells the story of when Ricky’s dad and Stephanie had gotten married again by accident. “Ribbons,” however, are the last words that Stephanie says in the interlude, saying that ribbons tie significant things together, such as love.
Ricky Montgomery’s sophomore album, Rick, allows the audience to experience the dark, tragic past of Ricky Montgomery. The album is an amazing demonstration on harsher emotions in a human life.
