Customer Reviews

Dear Lover [Explicit]

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Matthew Ryan's follow-up to last years nearly perfect `Matthew Ryan Vs The Silver State' is nothing short of a spectacular addition to Ryan's brilliant career. Dear Lover, MR's seventh proper studio album in 12 years is yet another example of his ability to grow on each album and do so in varying directions from record to record. The remarkable reality is that the quality and honesty evident on even MR's earliest records far surpass the sincerity of his contemporaries. This coming from a devoted fan of many of these artists including Ryan Adams, Josh Rouse, Pete Yorn. Ryan's a doer with an inspiring work ethic. He is this generations `Boss.'

If you are a fan of music, do yourself a favor and purchase this record NOW. Then buy the rest of his catalog. If `Dear Lover' is your introduction to Matthew Ryan, check out Regret Over the Wires and the abovementioned MRVSS next. Existing fans of MR's career likely agree... throw a dart at Matthew Ryan's repertoire blind-folded and you'll undoubtedly strike a beautiful lyric over spot on guitar. Key track on `Dear Lover' include the title track, "The Wilderness," "City Life," "Your Museum" and "We Are Snowmen."

After following an artist for a while, you begin wonder if they can continue to top themselves release after release. Relax, MR fans... he found a way to do it once again. Dear Lover has the same simplistic beauty that listeners have come to know (and love) over the years, but this release is different. On prior releases (Regret Over the Wires and From a Late Night High Rise - to name a few) I found myself awed by his ability to beautifully express feelings I couldn't put into words myself. But... on Dear Lover, he found a way to express the feelings I didn't realize I had until I heard his words. Well done, Mr. Ryan... well done.

Somehow, Matthew Ryan makes us feel a pain that is painless. We feel it, but we're glad we do and that's why it abates instantaneously. Ooh, it hurts so good, and it's not like that dirty stuff that Mellencamp was talking about. Dear Lover is, at once, stark, gripping, touching and unyielding. It is also the first album Ryan has released that has a title that corresponds with a track contained within (Yes, I intend to ask).