Joey Ryan Fracture

Joey Ryan

Fracture


Angela Macari O’Looney


Joey Ryan hails from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford and has worked hard to develop his acoustic based songs. His influences include Bruce Springsteen, Clive Barnes, Willie Nelson, Django Reinhardt and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Previously a member of South-East Metal band Cronus, Joey has been pursuing a new independent songwriting career.

Fracture is his second album, with a rock/roots and blues feel, while his earlier CD Hope in Razorbeams reflected his major influences and sold well locally.
This newer collection of songs is performed with conviction and passion. His guitar playing ability alone commands the ear of the listener!

what’s left

It’s the instrumental intro and the interesting kaleidoscope of sounds such as crazy bass, mayhem of discords and Joey’s jazzy vocals that get you in this number.
Complex but quite impressive, it wakes up the senses for the rest of the album!

If you cared

Beginning with a slow acoustic guitar intro, this is a song about going ‘away from love’
or making a fresh start.
The sweet guitar notes dominate here, drum input creating the backdrop. Further on in the song things pick up, then it goes back to the trickling intro and Joey singing the mournful chorus.

Side

In this number you have yet again some delightful acoustic guitar in the intro, carefully blended with electric background sounds. It has a haunting melody line which is helped by an electric guitar which does snatches here and there. I like the chorus, even though it is quite a moody song.

Fracture

The title track is full of energy with eclectic guitar throughout, lots of cymbal crashing for drama and a splash of harmony, which lends to the big complex cacophony of sound!

A catchy riff gives this song an edge, making it the most memorable piece on the album. Bass is exquisite, plus that electric guitar solo which his very elaborate!

5 Times

The Spanish guitar intro in this song is totally riveting. I particularly like the way that later on the electric guitar takes over, doing complex lead and creating a sense of tragedy.
It returns to the classical/flamenco acoustic guitar notes.

Falling away

The chorus in this song is quite catchy. However I feel that Joey’s vocals take on a tuneless quality at times, which I don’t like.
The musical arrangement and guitars are so nice and make up for this to a certain extent.

The next song Knives pretty much takes on the same tone, with impressive guitars and lots of dramatic drums. A lead solo that is astounding and haunting scream effects create interest too. But I can’t feel comfortable with his vocal style at all. It needs some kind of redirection or perhaps a female backing voice to enhance these beautiful pieces.

Shore is a song with lots of trickling acoustic guitar. I feel that here Joey’s voice tends to pick up. It suits his range better and things definitely improve from here to the end of the album. I commend him as a guitarist, songwriter and performer in general. If you like moody, pouring out your soul music, this album has it all!

Joey keeps the best till last. The second last track This cold wind has a lovely chorus, with guitar that takes my breath away.

Finally Lost Open Road is probably my second favourite song on this album. A big orchestra, those fluently played guitar notes and a truly sweet melody line lift this to a different level than the other tracks.

Daniel Henderson performed drums on this album, except on the last track where Joey himself plays drums. All guitars, bass and vocals are performed by Joey.
I believe that Joey is more of a musician and songwriter, than a singer. But if you look around at acts such as R.S.A.G., this is the type of alternative style that appeals to the current music market.

With such a remarkable talent for producing his own original sound and his flawless guitar finesse, I give him top marks and hope to see his star rise in the near future.