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 Single by Ryan Ross Hernandez and Ellie-Grace SummersTitle: Company Amongst the Madness Released: May 7, 2021 Studio: Capitol Studios (Hollywood, California) Genre: Indie rock, psychedelic rock, blues rock Length: 4:57 Label: Studio 60 Records Songwriter(s): Ryan Ross Hernandez, Ellie-Grace Summers Producer(s): Ryan Ross Hernandez, Ellie-Grace Summers "Company Amongst the Madness" is a song by American singer-songwriters Ryan Ross Hernandez and Ellie-Grace Summers. The song was originally set to release on April 26, 2021, following their debut performance of the single at the 8th Fan Choice Awards three days prior. Due to the hospitalization of fellow songwriter and mutual friend of the two Joshua Grimmie, the release was delayed until May 7, 2021. The song serves as the first single off Hernandez and Summers upcoming untitled full-length album, the announcement of the project also occurring at the Fan Choice Awards on April 23, 2021 through a pre-recorded video. "Company Amongst the Madness" was written and produced entirely by Ryan and Ellie-Grace. Lyrically, the song references the COVID-19 pandemic, detailing the intimate moments of a couple during quarantine. Instead of wallowing over all the negatives occurring in the world around them, the protagonists find solace in each other's bodies and the intimate moments they share. The lyric "kiss me like you did on our wedding night" included in the studio recording was omitted from the live debut, creating some rumors upon release that the pair may be secretly married, more so given each of their reputation as autobiographical songwriters and past history. Summers, however, confirmed in her statement regarding the release that the two took on roles as fictional characters within the song, seemingly dismissing the reports. The details on how the pair came together to record an album's worth of material have yet to surface. This is not the first time the two collaborate. Hernandez produced Ellie-Grace's self-titled debut album in 2010, and she was featured on "Somewhere Between Love and Passing the Time" a duet on Running Changes, his fourth studio album, which came out later that same year. Although never publicly confirmed, it is widely believed that Hernandez and Summers dated for close to a year from September 2010 through July or August 2011. Their relationship was alluded to on "In Delay" and "Questions I Never Asked You", songs off of Sex with Former Lovers released in March 2021, as well as when Ryan performed the latter during his headlining set at the Fan Choice Awards in April 2021, which showed archival footage of the two sharing the stage several times in 2010 and 2011. Despite the critical acclaim the debut performance of the song received, some fans online were quick to bring up the fifteen year age gap between the two and the fact that when they were rumored to first be dating, Summers was only eighteen years old. Musically, "Company Amongst the Madness" marks yet another shift in sonic styles by Hernandez and introduces Summers to equally uncharted territory in her career. It has been described as an indie rock song, with layered elements of psychedelic rock and blues rock, all genres that are new to the respective artists. The song is guitar-driven with a slow burning, monolithic guitar riff by way of Hernandez. It follows a traditional band instrumentation, combining dueling electric guitars, plucking bass work, and stomping drums to create a dark and moody soundscape to match the sexual lyrical content. Ryan opens the song with a husky baritone delivery in his first verse, shifting to a smooth falsetto by the pre-chorus. There is reverb usage over the pre-chorus harmonies and transitioning to the a more anthemic call-and-response chorus. Ellie-Grace uses her soprano vocal range in her respective verse to match the cool, seductive factor the song is presenting. Only in the bridge does her tone pick up slightly for dramatic effect, although neither singer ever strain their voice or pitch through the recording. Ryan Ross Hernandez wrote:"When you're creating music with somebody else and it is a complete 50-50 partnership, you have to be willing to challenge each other. When Ellie-Grace and I first went into the studio, we did not have a clear view of what was going to come next. We each walked in with some half-baked ideas and demos. The guitar riff for this song I had recorded on my MacBook just messing around alone in my house during quarantine in either the spring or summer of 2020. I personally didn't think it was anything but I remember playing it for Ellie-Grace and she immediately told me "there's something worth exploring in that riff." She was right, as she usually is. She has a fantastic instinct for recognizing small details that may create a really awesome song. I was on the fence but she pushed me to not overthink it and work with it.
Before we added anything else, we sat down and started writing around this riff. We added the rest of the instrumentation and harmonies once we had all the lyrics written. When you're a songwriter you try to find ideas anywhere you can, so we started having a conversation about the COVID-19 pandemic and the current state of the world. The song title was the first thing we jotted down on this dry-erase board. Company Amongst the Madness. We both kind of fell in love with that phrase because it felt like actual madness out there. Everybody was scared. Everybody was bulk buying items. Buying toilet paper was like fighting out in The Hunger Games. It was all very apocalyptical. Nobody knew what to do because no one had experienced this before.
We felt that rather than writing a metaphysical look into all of that, we would do it from the point of view of a couple who is observing all this mayhem occurring around the world and how the company of each other is keeping them sane. It has a sexual theme, yet at its core I see it as perhaps the purest love song I've ever been a part of. There's a beauty to wanting to spend every waking second making love to someone. It's less about the sex and more about the raging desire you have for this other person. There's literally nothing else to do, so why don't we make love over and over again because I'm crazy about you? There's nowhere you have to be. It's you and me all the time. I think that a lot of relationships ended during quarantine. I also feel like so many became that much stronger thanks to it. I expect to be invited to a lot of weddings and baby showers in 2022 and beyond thanks to the pandemic." Ellie-Grace Summers wrote:"When the first set of lyrics were pulled from us, as much as I enjoyed them and the melodic structure, there was a tiny little voice in my head saying; "this is good but maybe too obvious?". Even though I believed we were doing a great job, I was aware that Ryan has released a bunch of very sexual songs in the past and the pair of us have history. In my mind, I was thinking that the song is just going to cause the bad kind of chaos and maybe come across as a little too predictable but I didn't say anything and I stuck with it. I thought there was potential and I just had to navigate differently. As we forged on, these characters we had created really took over and it no longer was "Ellie-Grace and Ryan writing a song together", it became part of the lore within a much bigger fictional story. We found ourselves really invested, practically role-playing when writing. It was truly liberating as there were no restrictions. No goal posts or expectations. We were suddenly these two, freshly created characters with an unwritten story and world of possibilities at their feet. We just had so much fun getting into their minds and creating our own little universe of madness." The song received widespread critical acclaim upon release. Julie Myers of Pitchfork dubbed the lyrics as "universal" praising both artists for exploring new tools in their songwriting crafts outside of their own "A-list filled" lives. NME's Erin Jensen wrote that the song's central theme is "equal parts sensual and sexual" commending the inclusion of Summers as "breathing new life" into Hernandez's musicianship. Kimberly Austin of Rolling Stone opined that the song is one of the few "true passion-filled love songs" birthed during quarantine and inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. Writing for Billboard, Heather Sandberg said that the artists "oozed confidence" in each lyric they sang, highlighting Summers' verse and bridge as the strongest within the song, showing "clear maturity and credence". Charles Ramsey of Vulture described the song as carrying an "edgy" vibe whilst having one of the most "infectious" melodies of the year. Spin writer Allison Wainwright defined the song as an "understated, rockabilly number" due to its clean production, slow-building drums, echoing guitars, and straight-faced vocal delivery by the duo, and praised Summers' ability to "comfortably" step into a new realm as a singer and songwriter without missing a beat. Anthony Rodgers of AllMusic deemed the song as an "invigorating stadium rock anthem, ironically enough, by way of two non-traditionally rock artists". LA Times' Jessica Rowles stated that "Company Amongst the Madness" excels in its ability to "paint a vivid picture where the listener can see themselves in," stating that Hernandez and Summers succeed in creating a broad appeal for the song. Cassandra Stewart of The New York Times called the guitar work as "some of the best" in Hernandez's career and "a clear middle finger" to the fans who criticized his restrained playing on his last few solo studio releases. PopMatters' Kristen Harris called the collaboration as "a seamless reconnection of two artists who clearly love making music together" describing their chemistry as "smoldering and undeniable".
Company Amongst the MadnessRyanEllie-GraceBothIt feels like everything has slowed down overnight
Day drinking has become the norm
There are no awkward first dates or late night parties
The cities have turned into ghost towns
No more one-night stands and making out with strangers
I'm thankful I have you to keep me sane
'Cause if you weren't around I would have lost my shit in a pandemic
A few late night black-and-white films we don't watch
And our roaming hands are the perfect combination
But I swear I meant every word I said before my teeth sunk into your skin
You were ready to travel the world
Keep your suitcases empty 'cause there's no end to this in sight
I'm thinking about your back arched and your hair pulled back
Let me touch you right, working my way down your body
Pick up the tempo when we get in a groove
That liquor dripping from your lips and a lot less clothes on is where we're heading
When the conversation and the drinks are finished
I get to pull you in closer, on the couch, half-drunk, after laughing for hours it seems
We can keep on exploring each other
The time is moving slower
Kiss me like you did on our wedding night
Let's make love like tomorrow's not a givenThe world is on pause, so let's just fuck the day away
There's nowhere to go, so why not spend the day naked in between bed sheets
You already know all my bad habits and I know yours
We'll share a joint on the balcony, nothing but my shirt on your body (your shirt on my body)You can even call me baby, if you'd like
It's only a pet name for the time 'til we figure out something concrete
Damn does it feel good to have some company amongst the madness
I've never been skilled at being by myself
So won't you be my partner in isolation?
'Cause the nights can be vicious if you're alone with your thoughtsWrap me up in the finest sheets and the tightest grip
Trace your fingers along my delicate frame
Roughest voice whispering the sweetest nothings
Go and take the Lord thy God's name in vain
Down on my knees as you're gripping your beads
Ascending to our own debauchery filled Heaven
I don't care if we never return to Earth
I never really cared for those on the outside anyway
All I want and all I need is right here
Skin to skin, body to body, eye to eye, trust a try
It's much safer and warmer when you're right inside
When the conversation and the drinks are finished
I get to pull you in closer, on the couch, half-drunk, after laughing for hours it seems
We can keep on exploring each other
The time is moving slower
Kiss me like you did on our wedding night
Let's make love like tomorrow's not a givenThe world is on pause, so let's just fuck the day away
There's nowhere to go, so why not spend the day naked in between bed sheets
You already know all my bad habits and I know yours
We'll share a joint on the balcony, nothing but your shirt on my body
You can even call me baby, if you'd like
It's only a pet name for the time 'til we figure out something concrete
Damn does it feel good to have some company amongst the madness
I've never been skilled at being by myself
So won't you be my partner in isolation?
'Cause the nights can be vicious if you’re alone with your thoughtsYou can take it out on me
One place you don't have to cover up
Fuck away all the world's problems
Let off some steam, vent your frustrations
I know that you love to get vocal
And even when the words all run dry
I'll be laying here in ecstasy by your side
We don't have to say a single word
Communicate through sight and touch
I know what you're thinking when you bite your lip
I know what you're feeling as you sharply breathe in
I know every inch and all the sweet spots
I know exactly what it is that you want
But I'll let you tremble and keep on guessing
'Cause only I know exactly what you're getting
Should know by now it's out of your hands...The world is on pause, so let's just fuck the day away
There's nowhere to go, so why not spend the day naked in between bed sheets
You already know all my bad habits and I know yours
We'll share a joint on the balcony, nothing but your shirt on my body (my shirt on your body)You can even call me baby, if you'd like
It's only a pet name for the time 'til we figure out something concrete
Damn does it feel good to have some company amongst the madness
I've never been skilled at being by myself
So won't you be my partner in isolation?
'Cause the nights can be vicious if you're alone with your thoughts--- Comparable To:
--- OOC: A huge thank you to Sean/BrownSugar for tackling this new project with me, collaborating in various ways to bring it to life. It's truly a 50/50 partnership. Credit to him for the artwork as well. :)Edited by user 09 May 2021 04:50:10(UTC)
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