Just Announced: Feb 15 at The Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, TX 

Dear Dallas Friends, 

Show announcement!! 

While I'm writing new music right now and that's got me completely engaged and fired up, there are a couple events I simply couldn't pass on because they were so cool. 

This is one of them: 

I'll be playing The Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, TX at 7pm on February 15th with Rhett Miller. 

Friday, February 15th 
I go on at 7pm 
Rhett follows at 8pm 

It's free! 

Make plans and join us. After the music there's a free showing of the movie, Black Panther. 

Here are all the details at Nasher's website: 

'Til Midnight At The Nasher

Stay tuned for a couple more announcements in the coming weeks.

It's a FREE SHOW.

Or visit my TOUR PAGE for details!

Shows Coming Up in Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma! 

Friends and Listeners, 

Make plans and help spread the word!

This Saturday I’m playing a special solo show in Columbia, MO. The details are at matthewryanonline.com/tour 

Then a little over a week later Doug Lancio and I are doing a string of duo dates through Texas (and even one in Durant, OK!). I’m putting together a very special show for both these events. I’ve been experimenting with some sounds and atmospheres. Trying to find my inner Van Morrison meets “Tom Eno”. Yes... Waits meets Eno. 

Sometimes you gotta challenge yourself so you feel that lightning. Then it’s worth sharing. Don’t worry, the songs are still the songs. I’ll be drawing from all the records and probably sneak a cover in here and there. Above all, my hope is to bring some cool weather into every room we visit with... I’m excited about this. This is the first time Doug and I have done some duo shows together.

Makes plans and help us spread the word! 

PS

Poster design by Joe Maiocco and thank you to Red11 Music for working so hard to put this together. And of course, thank you to the rooms and humans for having us!

Shows Next Week in ROCKFORD, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS & NASHVILLE w/ Texas Shows Announcing Soon! 

Friends, 

It's been a beautiful summer. We're fresh from a beautiful tour with The Gaslight Anthem in The U.K. and Europe and now leaning into some shows in the US next week. 

The guys have been on fire and can't wait to see and play for you guys. Check out this video that was posted from our show in Cologne, Germany: 

Matthew Ryan and the Northern Wires play Then She Threw Me Like a Hand Grenade

So we're hopeful you'll come and see us next week. I'll have The Northern Wires with me next week. Just click the art below to see all details and ticket links for next week's shows. 

And pssst... Texas we're planning a string of dates for you guys in Late September/Early October. Those will be duo shows. I always love stripping things down a little. These will be announced very soon. Please keep an eye out. I love playing for you guys and you know, I'll get to extend summer a little coming through your part of the world.

Alright. See you guys soon!

M. Ryan

 

The Summer Never Ends EP Is Now Available! 

 

Behold Dear Listeners,

The version of Summer Never Ends that my friend Doug Lancio remixed, is now available on the Summer Never Ends EP. ‘Twas mastered by another good friend, Hans DeKline. And the artwork? Sir Joe Macho of Pittsburghshire of course. 

The EP contains 6 different versions of Summer Never Ends: The Quiet Version, The Lancio Single Remix, The Instrumental Album Version, An Alternate Master we loved, The Quiet Instrumental Version, and The Acoustic Version.

It's available for FREE or "Pay What You Want". 

Genuinely, don't feel you have to pay anything. It's meant as a gift. Check it out right HERE!

Summer Never Ends (The Quiet Version) Lyric Video 

 

 

Hey there Friends and Listeners,

It's been a wildly busy time. So much coming up. But wanted to share this with you...

Here's a first listen to The Quiet Version of Summer Never Ends. 

I wanted to invite you to take a minute and give it a good listen. I love how the air and tone of a song can change over time. In different rooms, via a different guitar or time of day. 

And for the love of cinematic rock n roll, please listen on good speakers or headphones. Hahahaha. Even though this version is minimalist and unobstructed, it has a beautiful depth of field. 

So... Why this "Quiet Version" of Summer Never Ends? 

We wanted to celebrate (and help further announce) our upcoming European tour in July with The Gaslight Anthem. So I decided we'd release an EP of various explorations of one of my favorite songs off of Hustle Up Starlings. 

That simple idea turned into a really beautiful experience. 

The Quiet Version was recorded at home and will soon to be made available to you for free (or "Pay What You Want") via my Bandcamp page. Part of my intention with this was also a "Thank You" to all the generosity you friends and listeners have shown me over the last few years. And particularly in contributing to making the trip overseas with Gaslight easier. So genuinely, the EP is intended to be free for you. You don't have to pay anything. It's not expected. But I know some of you insist, so it's "Pay Wha You Want." And that's always, genuinely appreciated. The needs for financing music and all the efforts it always require income. Not to mention life itself. I know you understand. 

So check out the upcoming dates. We can't wait to see and play for you guys. Not to mention hang out with some great friends that made one of my favorite albums of the mid/late 2000s (you know, The '59 Sound). 

More details on the Summer Never Ends EP will be shared as this week gets under way!

Shows in May from Nashville and all up the East Coast... 

Hello Everyone!

I’ve got a bunch of shows on the East Coast coming up in May. 

I’ll be folkering from Atlanta over to Raleigh then Philly and up through Jersey then over to Pittsburgh and Detroit and more! 

But before the solo tour starts, The Northern Wires & I will be opening for The Old 97s at The Cowan here in Nashville on May 2nd.

Check the TOUR PAGE for all dates, details and tickets and RSVP info. 

I’m planning some special setlist inclusions for the solo tour you guys. Hope you’ll join me and help spread the word. Here are all the solo dates:

 

Plus my good friend Sammy Kay has agreed to open the night for me in Philly and NYC!

Can’t wait to see & play for you guys! 

Gonna be some beauties. 

Always.

Alright. See ya soon!

Matthew Ryan Vs The Silver State is 10 Years Old! 

10 years ago Matthew Ryan Vs The Silver State came out. 

“Jane, I Still Feel The Same” has gone on to enjoy millions and millions of plays and streams and high-fives. Though substantially less purchases (wink, wink, cough, cough). 

Funny how it's starting to feel like even my recent work seems long ago... But this song remains one of my favorites that I've offered ever, it's called "Closing In". 

Impressionistic and personal without falling into diary. It's a love letter to a handful of the loves of my life. Both people and ideas... And music. 

Stay pure and optimistic. Be an honest participant in the beauty that's always possible. 

My only regret is that it ends on the minor chord... I love so much of The Silver State album, but "Closing In" always strikes a certain chord with me.

 

 

A giant thank you to Doug Lancio, Brian Bequette, Steve Latanation, Eamon McLoughlin and Kate York for helping me bring this into the world. This song was only a hopeful skeleton without you guys. 

Alright. Thank you for allowing for this kind of indulgence. Feels good to love something from the past. As always, give it a listen and share if you're inclined. 

Here's another, more sentimental video version of "Closing In" on Youtube: 

A More Sentimental Video For "Closing In"

& 

Here's the entire album, Matthew Ryan Vs The Silver State on Spotify:

Matthew Ryan Vs The Silver State on Spotify

Turns out I'm a Singer in A Band Now as well... 

Friends, 

Please take a moment to read about The Summer Kills. 

Turns out, I'm a singer in a "band" now as well. It's a long and beautiful story... 

But essentially Marc and Andrew created the music while I wrote the words and melodies and then sang. 

It took us 7 years to finally agree that it was ready to be shared with you. 

Our "debut" album comes out on April 27th, 2018. 

The Summer Kills is what we call this collaboration between Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson (of the ambient duo Hammock), and me. 

The album is called Last Night We Became Swans. 

It's a sprawling beauty. I can't wait for you to hear it. It's some of the most cinematic and emotional stuff I've been a part of. It's smart but instinctual, filmic in that it has a tone throughout. And thematically, there's a story being told - it has a beginning, middle and an end. But it's more impressionistic than a concept record, it's essentially following a love story through all the weather and the events that define that space between two people. And it even pans out a bit further... But it never loses sight of that thread between the "two" hearts it's exploring. 

The album was mixed by one of my favorite engineers out there today, his name is Peter Katis. You're probably familiar with some of the beautiful work he's done with The National, Japandroids and Glen Hansard. I'm blown away by what Peter brought to what we created. Last Night We Became Swans is as much a sonic adventure as it is a lyrical or musical adventure. 

You can pre-order the entire album right now via our Bandcamp Page right here: 

The Summer Kills, Last Night We Became Swans

We'll be sharing more singles as we get closer to release. It's always quite exciting and a bit daunting to launch a new idea into the world. We hope you'll take the time to welcome it, to get familiar with what this music is offering. 

All three of us feel it's quite special. We hope you agree. The beautiful work depends on you these days... 

And I love that notion. 

Best Always, 

Matthew Ryan 

Click the album art below to check out the track-list and consider pre-ordering Last Night We Became Swans, by The Summer Kills!