MATTHEW RYAN @ ZaZoo's
The New Vintage Showcase presents:?
with special guests
GREAT BARRIER REEFS (late night)
ABOUT MATTHEW RYAN
?Matthew Ryan (born Ryan Webb; November 7, 1971) is an American alternative countrysinger-songwriter. Ryan has also collaborated with Neilson Hubbard to form the band Strays Don't Sleep. Ryan's voice has been described as a "hushed rasp, with words catching like vows destined to be broken - one of modern music's most potent whispers." Like the Jayhawks, Son Volt and other artists from the late 1990s alternative country scene, Ryan has a dedicated following but only limited commercial success.
Matthew Ryan arrived on the music scene in 1997 with Mayday, his first record. The album was released on A&M and reflected the influences of Tom Waits, the Waterboys, and Bruce Springsteen. A video was made for "Guilty". The album is considered a classic of the genre.
East Autumn Grin, Ryan's second record, was released in 2000. The album failed to become the commercial success the label had hoped, and Ryan was dropped.
After being dropped by Interscope Records Ryan started working on demo material with David Henry. The material was stark and bare, Concussion was recorded and mixed in 8 days with Richard McLaurin. It was released in 2001 on Nashville, Tennessee label WaxySilver and features a duet with Lucinda Williams. Ryan was asked by actor/directorEdward Burns to contribute a song to his film Ash Wednesday. "Be Thou My Vision" was used on the closing credits of the film. Ryan opened tours for Kasey Chambers and Lucinda Williams for much of 2001, along with his own headlining shows.