Friday, May 18, 2007
 

Well, it looks as if I completely missed the boat on Bryan Scary.  The 23 year old released his debut album, The Shredding Tears, back in February but I heard nothing of it despite the fact that it garnered a lot of kind words.  Fortunately, I am now prepared to haul myself up on Bryan's bandwagon and declare his LP to be one of the most refreshing pieces that I have heard in 2007.  It's hard to believe that the guy created such lush soundscapes in his apartment all by himself, but that's what he did and I can't wait to see his efforts live when he plays in Austin this June.  Supposedly his shows are great and now that he has a backing band, who are cleverly titled The Shedding Tears, I am guessing that the performances are even more brilliant.  Enjoy.

:Bryan Scary And The Shredding Tears - Misery Loves Company:  I love this song.  It has some moments where Bryan sounds like Ozzy Osbourne, but then there are others where he turns into the Beatles or the Beach Boys--and don't even get me started on when it all breaks down into tribal metal towards the end.  Clearly, the guy is vocally all over the place, as is the 60s pop meets modern effects sound, but somehow it all works together in a way that leaves you wondering why no one ever did it before.      

:Bryan Scary And The Shredding Tears - The Ceiling On The Wall:  This is so sugary sweet and catchy that you'll be trying to sing-a-long with it before you actually know any of the words.  Bryan really drives home the Beatles comparisons with an arrangement that is light and fun, and a vocal style that largely reminds me of Paul McCartney.  Don't worry though, he doesn't just pay tribute to the Beatles, there are some nifty ELO retro bursts that are neat, and he mixes in plenty of his own ideas.  Download this one now.

- John Laird -



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