Ripple effect 

Just a few years removed from high school, Joel Parks, Lucas Gillette and Tremaine Wade — the guys behind Oklahoma alternative trio Ripple Green — have already devoted ten years of time into what started as a childhood diversion, now turned a full-fledged obsession.

“It was a youthful drive to start playing music,” guitarist Parks said of the band’s early start. “Each of us have artistic people in our families that have always been very supportive of that sort of thing, and it’s an easy thing to be attracted to as kids. Obviously, it stuck.”

Formed in 2004, the group has taken that time to perform a delicate marriage of the groovier side of rock and roll (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime) with the more alternative end (Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys) and some of their own touches in there for good measure.

That swirl was on full display with its EP Lungful (Part III) — out earlier this year — and that formula is drawn and pulled out on its sprawling follow-up, Ease.

“There’s a definite evolution. And with this next EP, we are trying to spell that out. In ten years, people change in a lot of ways. It’s been cool to change together and have our music shift along the way,” Parks said. “Lungful was a newer, more polished sound. Ease will be more ruckus-filled, more energetic, more raw, but definitely fun. It’s a step back, a regression, in a way. It’s been exciting to see such a different change, and it’s going to be interesting to see how people react to them.”

The release — celebrated with Friday’s holiday show at Womb Gallery — represents the middle installment of its EP trilogy, the third set to be composed of some of Ripple Green’s very first songs.

“It’s interesting going back and reliving the mindsets we were in writing the songs,” bassist Gillette said. “There’s a youthfulness to them, and we enjoy that energy.”

That EP will have to wait, though, as all three members of Ripple Green are headed to Guildford,
England, for a semester abroad as part of an exchange program at
ACM@UCO, immersing them into London’s music scene, one of the most
vibrant the world has to offer. The trio expects to return from abroad a
whole new band, and the future is looking brighter than ever.

“The best learning experience is just the environment,” Gillette said. “Being 15 minutes from one of the biggest music cities in the world will just be incredible.”

“It’ll be a huge growing experience for all of us, even outside of school,” Parks continued. “It looks like there will be opportunities to play while we’re over there, too. To make the leap to a whole new audience will be unreal.”