REVIEW: The Ram – ‘I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere’

With his latest release ‘I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere’, Mark “The Ram” O’Donnell looks to add another chapter to his already-evolving story. The follow-up to his widely lauded ‘Songs of Wanderlust’ is a leap into a more expansive sonic universe, guided by instinct, storytelling, and a willingness to get beautifully lost in the process.

Across nine tracks, O’Donnell continues to blur the lines between gritty roots-rock and something more ethereal. ‘Listen To The Cold’, with its slow-burning intro and brooding vocals, sets the tone: atmospheric but grounded, patient yet emotionally charged. While tracks like ‘Unbound’ keep that momentum going, allowing layers of guitar, percussion, and soul-soaked lyricism to bloom at just the right pace.

But what really defines ‘I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere’ is how it balances restraint and risk. You can feel O’Donnell’s deep reverence for traditional blues in the undercurrent of every song, but he never clings to formula. Instead, he uses it as a launchpad by injecting psychedelia, folk, and even post-rock textures when the moment calls for it. It’s blues-rock unshackled, chasing something more elusive than just a good riff (though, rest assured, there are plenty of those too).

This is the kind of album that reveals itself more with each listen. There’s a cinematic quality to the way it moves, and you get the sense that O’Donnell isn’t trying to dazzle with technical prowess, but rather to invite you into a headspace, a feeling, a wandering moment. And in doing so, he crafts something that feels both personal and mythic.

By the time the final track fades out, you’re not entirely sure whether you’ve just heard a travelogue, a confession, or a fever dream. Maybe it’s all three. But one thing’s certain: Mark “The Ram” O’Donnell continues to be a shape-shifter in a genre that too often clings to predictability.