Nonetheless, "I knew I wanted to play quieter music and write more carefully, so building these songs around the acoustic guitar became really important. I was trying to write more carefully and I’m working on continually honing the songwriting process. Cancer to the Stars felt emotional to me, but maybe it was more outwardly emotional, more physical in the way we expressed ourselves live. I wanted to translate that high level of emotional expression to a more personal approach to songwriting, and I needed to achieve that by stripping everything down to a bare minimum, including my voice, so I could concentrate on developing an understanding of what makes a song work for people. I also felt I wanted these songs to be able to speak to a broader audience, so I devoted a lot of attention to what the lyrics said and how they said them — with melodies and strong choruses. I never even thought about writing a chorus with Cancer to the Stars."

Another factor in the easy accessibility of There is No Music  is producer Daniel Daskivich, who became friends with Crosby when they both played in the short-lived post-Cancer to the Stars outfit the Gasolines. "Dan knew I was writing songs that the Gasolines had no interest in playing, so he offered to work on them with me," says Crosby.

"I can write a tune and give it to my buddy Dan and he’s very into working on the arrangements and helping me refine it. He’s also much more organized than me and will say, ‘Okay, these songs are ready to get recorded, and it’ll be done on this date,’ and it actually gets done."

Crosby and Daskivich have just started working on new songs, but for now live performances and spreading the word about There Is No Music is their priority. "The album’s just been out for a few weeks, so we’re hoping more people are going to find out about it."

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Ryan Lee and the Mindless | Bill’s Bar, 9 Lansdowne Street, Boston | Jan 27 | 617.421.9595

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On the Web:

Ryan Lee and the Mindless: //www.ryanleeandthemindless.com/