indie underrated

“She came through the fire escape.  Put out her cigarette on a picture of you.  She took Coltrane and she took Blood On The Tracks.  She left no room for the truth.”

For an opening track, you can’t do much better than Forty Paces to the Bottom.  It’s the introductory single heard on Crow Amongst the Sparrows, the new single from Ryan Wayne. 

Both in his grunge folk sonic sensibility and in his attentive writing Ryan Wayne will surely win some comparisons to Neil Young.  It’s a good thing, as Wayne brings some new footing to that complicated catalog known to Crazy Horse.  He injects new modes in alt country Americana and a dose of shoegaze immersive flash.  Whats most effective are the lyrical details and the updated modes of suffering known to common people you hear in the stories.  The reference bears true on moments like Overheard in an All Night Diner.  

There are variations that don’t stray too far from his compositional scope but offer different realms within his vibe.  It’s heard in moments like Oh My Maria, where swirling electronic production recalls the producer touches known to Paul Simon come back album Smile.  

Like Simon and Young, Wayne finds new sonic realms within a classic compositional feel.  He’s also been around the town a few times with a notable list accomplishments including shows with icons like Drive By Truckers and Deer Tick. He’s returning to music after two strokes lead him back to heal and reclaim his artistic truth.

Dig into all of Crow Amongst the Sparrows. 

Ryan Wayne is featured on our Indie Underrated Playlist.