Matthew Ryan - From A Late Night High-Rise

Genre rock Publisher 00:02:59 External Links Official Matthew Ryan Website Official 00:02:59 Records Website

Like every other guitar wielding singer/songwriter who has emerged from the woodwork over the past quarter century, Matthew Ryan has been compared to Springsteen and Dylan. Of course there's the gruff voice, dependable lyrics, and an obvious appreciation for high drama fueling the association. Still, they're ultimately a lazy copout for critics who are always looking to break the "next big thing" and that is something Matthew Ryan hasn't yet become. Luckily though, Ryan has been able to escape these unfair expectations and carve himself out a career and a few solid, if not canon ready, albums.

From A Late Night High-Rise is his biggest departure from the guitar based songs that have defined his past. Minimalist electronics back most of the tracks, with Ryan's gentle growl riding high in the mix. Though this adventure into the world of drum machines and clicks is refreshing, traditional rock instrumentation is still bubbling below throughout the album. With repeated listens, the electronic backing becomes more natural sounding and the songs begin to reveal themselves.

Lyrically, the familiar concept of hopelessness seems to be the thread tying things together. While that's not exactly anything new for Matthew Ryan, he provides enough memorable lines to carry the listener through the more typical patches. He can be found "on the toilet in the Gap/with a heroin smile" or "in the blur of some phantom widescreen," during "Babybird" and "Everybody Always Leaves," respectively. These seemingly unredeemable images come up time and time again. It's a record that finds it's warmth in the quiet detailing of how it all can disappear. If a character is not leaving, they're gone. Everything comes to a head with the final, somewhat surprising, track. The song finds Ryan speaking quietly of his brother. A somber encore with synthesized strings, we find out how this brother was just sentenced to thirty years in prison, for an unnamed offense, after a stint in rehab. All that has come before takes on new meaning and we're left with something of a virtual concept album. Everything that may have seemed a bit unclear on the first trip through can now be identified as one man's longing for a "complete family." What was once just another solid album, takes on a more impressive, universal quality.