First Listen: Ryan Alvanos ‘Sharp Little Hooks’

A poet, a writer, a traveler, a digestor of things that he sees into words. Ryan Alvanos has been playing in the clubs and streets of the city for a while now. With a wit and an inventive humor threaded into his songs, he writes with a passion and style that make you have to really think about the songs, the poetry that he is laying out before you in verse. His 2014 release “Sharp Little Hooks” is a fly fishing themed EP, but is of course much more than that. Utilizing the theme to take on many other topics, but concealing them beneath the veil of fishing rods and trout stream analogies.

(photos by Mike Spencer)

I am really liking the percussive styled guitar picking in the first track. It’s not completely neat and tidy, but solid. I like that kind of “I hit this note, it’s the right note, but maybe not exactly whats expected” kind of a feel.

‘The Wooly Buggers Hairy Mary Blues’ has a name as cooky as the wild arrangement. With a Tom Waits kind of a growl at the end of the phrasings. It bounces and drives. With a wild piano line that hits all the right “wrong” notes…the notes aren’t wrong, but have that jazzy feel. It’s a fun listen for sure. I think kids would enjoy this tune equally as much as any adult, or fly fishing enthusiast.

“Trout Song” has a great crouch down low, bluesy feel and flow to it. The vocal almost has a Les Claypool, singing through a harmonica bullet mic. The swirling of the organ, the dry, metallic guitar line, and a smooth rhythm section holding it together like glue. I am really digging the vibe of this track in particular.

In my day, I’d have chased you.
Back when I was too small to keep
I could rise as I please.
I was catch and release
but now I just pretend to sleep.

Alvanos is a folk songwriter through and through. He pays as much attention to the way words play on one another as the chord progressions create a melody for them to fall into. He has a pleasant voice that suits the songs well, while being subdued and calming, but at the same time strong enough to carry you along the 6 tracks of the album. The instrumentation on this record is fantastic. Strong playing all across the board, smooth like butter, and interesting as all heck. I didn’t realize until after listening that the backing band for this was The Blue Ribbons. That makes me smile.

Check it out online at: http://www.ryanalvanos.com/Songbook/SharpLittleHooks/index.html