Photo: Matthew Hersch
Fresh off the release of “Nevermind,” alt-folk/alt-rock singer-songwriter Ryan Liberty Megan presents his single, “Sweep,” a track lifted from his forthcoming album, El Songo.
Hailing from New Paltz, New York, Megan began writing music at age five. In his teens, influenced by Pink Floyd, he acquired a guitar. During a brief stint in college, he majored in music, followed by leaving because he found the environment disappointing. After that, he roamed from place to place, working at a diverse assortment of jobs, and performing with noise bands.
In due course, he found himself in ORYAN, a locally renowned band on the verge of making it big, which would demand total commitment. Face to face with a life-changing option, Megan made another type of life-changing decision: he decided to shoulder the obligations of fatherhood and place his family above himself.
At the end of 2020, Megan started writing songs again. This time as personalized gifts for the holidays. Inspired, he began writing a song a day. Bouncing the songs off collaborator Paul Moran, the idea for El Songo took shape.
Eventually, in 2022, he released his single, “Xmas Alone,” and then “Chorus,” and, most recently, “Nevermind.”
“Sweep” rolls out gently on a soft guitar flowing into a drifting melody simmering with flavors of alt-rock merged with hints of jazz-tinted prog-rock. Sumptuously braying horns add floating textures like warm Velveeta oozing over the finessed percussion. Lingering vocal harmonies append a creamy dimension as Megan’s raspy, deliciously droopy vocals imbue the lyrics with dreamy introspective timbres.
Dripping with granular allure, there’s an unexpected charisma to Megan’s voice, a subtle, dangling richness and brooding absorption that provides a wicked sense of intimacy.
The captivating, singular, almost surreal mood of “Sweep” comes from the enveloping feel of Ryan Liberty Megan’s wearied meditative voice.
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