Spellbinding
Matthew Ryan has shared the stage with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Badly Drawn Boy and Turin Brakes and written 11 albums, yet he's hardly the name spoken over every coffee table. This is in no way down to a lack of talent; the American singer/songwriter has a raspy and memorable voice that almost whispers his pretty melodies.
Opener 'Dulce et Decorum Est' lasts a fine 6 minutes long but in no way feels indulgent, it immerses you in its breezy melody and driving string section and instantly charms the listener.
'American Dirt' is as rousing as Springsteen with gritty lyrics and a haunting backing that makes Ryan's vocals all the more endearing and driving, while the beautiful guitars of, 'Meet Me By The River' flirt enticingly with Ryan's aching vocals to create a truly moving piece of music.
There's a definite hint of Bruce Springsteen in the simple rock songs, especially with 'It Could've Been Worse' sporting the lyric, "Her mascara was born to run", which will have any fan of The Boss smiling, but Ryan's melodies are far more embellished than the growling rock n'roll of Springsteen. 'Drunk and Disappointed' is pure passionate rock with a fierce rage to the growling guitars and raw vocals
'Hold On Firefly' may be a little mediocre, drawing on all the clichés of alternative rock, but it's made up for by the wealth of great tunes on 'Matthew Ryan vs. The Silver State'. The majority of the music is subtle and understated, but somehow this manages to seduce the listener, 'Killing The Ghost' for example, is highly soothing in its repetitive refrain.
If you've never heard Matthew Ryan before, then this album will catch you and take your breath away with its spellbinding tunes and raw lyrics.