Matthew Ryan Vs. the Silver State

It’s really not Vs. the Silver State. They’re singer-songwriter Matthew Ryan’s backing band and they’re in perfect lockstep here, rolling along with the scenery, haunting the quieter spaces and providing consistent, cohesive support to yet another songwriter squeezing out a new vision from the well-mined alt-country and alternative pop terrain. It helps that Ryan has a voice that immediately conveys sincerity with its raspy twist and dirt-floor realism. The opening cut, “Dolce Et Decorum Est,” flows for seven minutes, personal reflections flashing by in locomotion. “American Dirt” opens things up as an observation of American society while its frustration builds to a cathartic head. The spare, acoustic “Jane, I Still Feel the Same” aches with a knowledge of finality. “Meet Me By the River” percolates with a frustrated rate underneath its sweetly chiming notes. Ryan isn’t the strong, silent type, but the wordy, tenacious troubadour who figures if he’s talked himself into a situtation, he should then be able to talk himself out of it. His captivating vocals make sure you listen.