East Autumn Grin [Extra tracks]

Matthew Ryan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 15, 2000)
• Original Release Date: August 15, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B00004WF66
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,532 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

After his 1997 debut, May Day, Pennsylvania-born singer-songwriter Matthew Ryan was acclaimed as the spiritual heir to everyone from Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. Ryan expands on those daunting expectations, yet also manages to blunt them here--his frequently astringent musical and lyrical vision is distinctly his own. And if it's true that beneath the chest of every pessimist beats the heart of an optimist just wishing their eyes weren't so damned good, Ryan just may be their wistful troubadour. "Just remember," Ryan rasps on the chorus of "Heartache Weather," "things are gonna get worse before they get better." A cliché perhaps, but a viewpoint that is in perfect sync with Ryan's clear-eyed antisentimentality. Ryan's songs also possess a seemingly effortless melodic sense, here wed to production that ranges from a warts-and-all live sound to the moody and baroque. Whether ruminating on the devastating potential of modern romantic myths, drawing parallels between his fate and his country's on "Ballad of Limping Man" (with Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner adding mournful trumpet flourishes), or chronicling the media's commodification of tragedy on "The World Is on Fire" (heralded by a Newmanesque interpolation of "Camptown Races"), Ryan usually finds some glimmer of hope, a telling sign of a troubled romantic trying to make the best of a world gone bad. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Talented Mr. Ryan, August 21, 2000

By 

J. vanderHagen "Jamvan" (Albany, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: East Autumn Grin (Audio CD)

Matthew Ryan, single-handedly, is probably the most underrated singer songwriter on the planet. I discovered Matthew on a whim back in 1997 when his debut album "Mayday" came out. I wasn't disappointed. I anxiously awaited the release of his new album with 2 parts anticipation and 1 part trepidation - the proverbial sophomore slump loomed heavily on my mind. Well, my concerns have been put to rest! East Autumn Grin picks up where Mayday left off.

From the opening track "3rd of October" straight through to the hidden track "August Summer Dress", I found myself glued to the speaker, awaiting each new track with anticipation. No need to 10 second preview each song on this one! Matthew Ryan's songs, to the uninitiated, might seem to be a little somber or morose. What these people don't realize is the hope is there, it just lies a little beneath the surface, and may take more than your typical bubblegum approach to find it. Matthew has a unique way of being very personal and intimate on his songs while never crossing over that blurred line where self reflection and total exposure become whining and self-pitying. I found myself listening to these songs and feeling as though I'd heard them before.

The album is a bit more polished then it's predecessor (Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum playing trumpet!), but none the less, it feels as worn and comfortable as a good old pair of shoes. Turn the lights down, light a candle, and enjoy!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It keeps getting better, April 23, 2001

By 

Bryan (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: East Autumn Grin (Audio CD)

East Autumn Grin comes on slow but grows on you. I know that doesn't sound like a stellar write up but it's the truth. Once you give this album a chance it probably won't leave your player for a long time. Track number six, Sadlylove, was the first song to stand out and grab my attention but others soon followed. This is a great album and Matthew Ryan's songwriting skills are superb. The album is heavily produced and is rich in layers and sound, which is unusual for most singer-songwriters unless they've already "made it" and have financial security to take such studio risks. If I had to pigeon-hole to give a potential buyer an idea of what they're getting, think early Springsteen, Tom Petty, Dylan and Ryan Adams. That's the caliber of writing but Matthew Ryan sounds like Matthew Ryan.

For those who care. In the Marlboro magazine, Unlimited, muscian Steve Earle was asked what some of his favorite current albums were. East Autumn Grin made the cut.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rare Gem, August 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: East Autumn Grin (Audio CD)

"East Autumn Grin" is a truly special album. With lines like, "Angry and sad over a cup of black tea, your watering eyes and perfume were choking me." ("Sadly Love") Ryan immediately shows his skill with creating images and crafting extraordinary lyrics. The most special thing about this record, however, is that it has purpose. "East Autumn Grin" sounds as if it had to be made to complete a dialog the artist was having with himself, to pin down the chaos in his life and to get at the heart of the things that are important, love and forgiveness. Opening with the defiant anthemic "3rd of October" and mining moments of desperation ("I Must Love Leaving") to moments of beautiful intimacy ("Time and Time Only"), Matthew takes you on his journey. This really is an amazing record. A record that sticks with you and on repeated listens and grows on you as you understand more and more the different layers of the conversation Matthew Ryan is initiating. In this time, when music seems so often to sound like it was created simply to move product, "East Autumn Grin" is a remarkable breath of fresh air.