ORYAN - I (Heart) RY
by Crispin Kott
Roll Magazine, November 2010

The Ramones did it by adopting phony last names, and three-fifths of Duran Duran did it by sharing an actual last name and no familial link. So why shouldn’t the members of ORYAN draw attention to themselves with their band name?

Three of the four members of ORYAN are named Ryan. Ryan Megan sings and plays rhythm guitar, Ryan Schoonmaker plays drums, Ryan McCann plays bass and the group’s lead guitarist breaks up the near full house by being named Adam Gosney. At least that was the lineup on the band’s compelling five-song EP, I ? RY [sic], because according to their website, their bass player’s name is Paul Moran.

Over five meaty songs, ORYAN achieve their stated objective and play “solid, well crafted, kick ass rock music.” Megan, who wrote the lyrics himself and co-wrote the music with Schoonmaker, might not like the comparison, but given the Tennessee band’s continued chart success, it’s difficult to not draw parallels between his primal growl and that of Caleb Followill, front man of Kings of Leon. To his credit, Megan is a far more soulful prospect. “Manuals,” for example, is an absolute monster, deliberately shambolic and brimming with terrifying depth. At just under six minutes in length, the song is the EP’s emotional tent pole, one which best exemplifies the strengths of a band who do much more than merely rock and roll.

“Goodbye” is every bit as glorious as “Manuals,” and while I’ve no actual opinion on whether “Millbrook Needs a Taco Bell,” I’d be hard-pressed to argue with the Tom Waits-like drunken shanty which closes this all too brief release. Up next for ORYAN is an album proper, one which has some awfully filthy shoes to fill.