When Eddy Lee Ryder released her five-song EP Expected to Fly in July 2020, listeners once again dove into her quirky pop-rock sideshow of sharply drawn oddballs and optimists, encountered both on streets seldom taken and paths worn with steps. The New York-based artist’s intricate storytelling twists and turns over staccato electric guitars, moody piano, and center-stage drums that nod to the extravagance of the 80s. Her humor pops up everywhere, teasing listeners with self-aware winks, while her attention to detail positions her a songwriter first, singer second––a funny inversion, considering the sheer strength of her soprano. The result is an arresting mini-rock opera, thoroughly modern yet proud of letting its 70s and 80s roots show. “I’ve tried to write stories that people aren’t expecting to be drawn into, and to do it in a different way,” Ryder says, then adds with a sigh and a smile, “The mysteries of the road.”