Matthew Ryan
Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State
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Matthew Ryan’s previous album, From a Late Night High Rise was an unexpected joy; despite being drenched in an atmosphere of almost unrelenting gloom, the album was undeniably one of the most powerful and evocative records Ryan has ever released.
This time around, Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State is just as, if not more, impressive, but is characterized by an altogether more upbeat and optimistic vibe as well as a more diverse approach to his writing. That’s not to say these songs aren’t pervaded by an air of melancholy – they are – but the seven-minute country stomp of opener “Dulce Et Decorum Est” has an almost jaunty feel, while there’s a welcome urgency and energy about the punchy “Drunk and Disappointed”.
Songs like the wonderful “They Were Wrong”, the haunting “It Could Have Been Worse”, and the sparse, delicate “Jane, I Still Feel The Same” have an intensity and depth that keep you coming back for more, while album highlight “Killing The Ghost” combines all the beauty, melody, and grit that define Ryan’s best compositions.
Matthew Ryan may just be one of the most perceptive singer-songwriters in America, and on Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State, he proves that misery has never sounded so good.
Matthew Ryan: http://www.matthewryanonline.com
