Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State

Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State

Matthew Ryan writes the kind of songs that seem like they were destined to be used on movie soundtracks. He tells stories of small people and big ideas, set to music that is cinematic in its scope. If there were such a thing as aural widescreen, his albums would come in that format. He's often been cast as a young Bruce Springsteen, so often that he's probably sick of it (although it doesn't stop him from working a sly reference to The Boss' most iconic song into "It Could Have Been Worse"). With his raspy voice, narrative lyrics, and northeastern roots, it's easy to see how that comparison came about. It's even easier listening to songs like "American Dirt," which conjures up images of Springsteen fronting U2. With touches of piano and violin, the album manages to be both driving and atmospheric over the course of it's 11 songs. It touches on punk and country and folk, yet it still feels like a cohesive whole. In a recording career that spans eleven years and as many albums, Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State is the highlight of what was already an impressive catalog.

Matthew Ryan - "American Dirt" (mp3)
Matthew Ryan - "They Were Wrong" (mp3)

Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State play Saturday, May 17, at The Mercy Lounge in Nashville. Jon Dee Graham opens.