Ryan Webster
The Point of Pointlessness
Catbeach
For just one brief moment, I thought “John Barleycorn Must Die” had come back to life, but that was my mistake: this new singer-songwriter has his feet planted firmly in the 21st century even if his chord structures harken back to a more psychedelic era. On “All Who Wander” there’s a comforting pedal steel in the background while up front in a spot light of pain Ryan Webster howls against the agony of present loss and future decline. His arrangements are rich and fulfilling, his vocals interesting without getting weird and his lyrics are, well, lyrics. I’m not engaged by his stories, but rather by is flow of syllables and words. On “Baby Come Back” we hear “You talk about the Holy Ghost, how he speaks to you at home – Baby come back.” Is she crazy, or just a little too far to the right on the Atheist / Bible Thumper Spectrum to recover a faded relation? These are exotic questions that take the loss of heart break and heartbreak of loss to new levels of philosophic debate. But hey, what’s the title of this collection again? Ah, I see. Ryan Webster is a bold new voice with an intriguing sound and a non-traditional approach to composition and songwriting. I’d love to stumble into one of his shows, not knowing what to expect.
Ryan Webster: http://www.ryanwebstermusic.com
