Ryan Wong
New Country Sounds of Ryan Wong, the latest offering by the Cool Ghoul and multi-hyphenate music man behind Supreme Joy, finds the songwriter charting sonic territories that might at first seem unfamiliar to fans of his past work in the Garage, Psych, and Post-punk genres. But under the wing of storied San Francisco scene scion Sonny Smith (Sonny and the Sunsets), Wong sidles up to a sound that bears a close kinship to the producer’s own playfully country-leaning works. New Country Sounds finds Wong’s boyish lilt exploring deep registers and deeper themes, coupled with unmistakably capital-C Country explorations on both guitar and steel. Wong the writer, however, continues to find himself owing more to Ray Davies than he does to Ray Price. Wong’s natural charm and humor set him apart from today’s crop of selfserious crooners. A laconic slacker sensibility persists throughout, lending Wong’s more winkingly macho moments an ironic distance that comes off cheeky rather than threatening.
Ryli
Ryli is the latest project from Yea-Ming Chen (Yea-Ming and The Rumours) and Rob Good (The Goods). Joined by the propulsive rhythm section of Luke Robbins (ex-Latitude, RE Seraphin) on bass and Ian McBrayer (ex-Sonny and The Sunsets, ex-Healing Potpourri) on drums, the band pairs Chen’s intimate songwriting and dulcet vocal stylings with Good’s effervescent arrangements, replete with sparkling guitars and dreamy harmonies.
Initially brought together by Dandy Boy Records to record a Cleaners From Venus cover, Chen and Good quickly bonded over their mutual appreciation of classic pop songs and formed an immediate musical kinship. Inspired by their spontaneous connection, the pair ended up writing an original song during the session. Soon after, they were joined by Robbins and McBrayer, and Ryli was officially born.
Their debut single “I Think I Need You Around” b/w “When I Fall” is a succinct distillation of their unique indie pop sound. A-side “I Think I Need You Around” is kinetic jangle rock with gentle vocals reminiscent of Camera Obscura. A good old-fashioned tale of lust and longing, it’s lifted by bright guitar arpeggios and desperate harmonies. “When I Fall,” on the other hand, is a woozy, Spector-esque ballad, capturing that late-night feeling of uncertainty as you trudge home after last call.
Taking their moniker from the first initial of each member, Ryli doesn’t overthink their presentation, instead focusing on crafting endearing melodies. And this single - two perfect pop songs clocking in at a breezy six minutes - wastes no time in establishing their substance-over-style approach.
Silverware
Silverware is ethereal Appalachian sad pop from San Francisco artist Ainsley Wagoner. For fans of Sybille Baier, Weyes Blood, and Joni Mitchell - Silverware revels in a wide palette of vocal textures and sparse, dynamic instrumentation.
DOORS at 6:30PM | MUSIC AT 7:00 PM