If there’s ever proof that hard work and networking, at whatever pace, is the key to achieving one’s goals, Alabama-born turned Murfreesboro’s up and coming Southern Americana rocker Ryan Coleman shows it in his debut release, From Missoula to Marseille, independently released March 1 this year. It took the past 10 years to pull everything together for this young man’s album, but worth it in order to produce something comparable to guitar styles and accessible lyrics of Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and a little bit of Blue Oyster Cult with a production value, raspy voice and backing band of the likes too.
The album’s title spawned from Coleman’s travels at an early age, being the son of a military man, as well as noticeably putting in time circuiting many a hazy Southern bar stage sounding like he felt at home doing as with the happy-go-lucky lyrics customized to those atmospheres that will get the patrons yelling, “Hell, yeah!” at the stage beginning right off the bat with “Can You Feel It?” which gives the Springsteen impression within the first couple of strums of Coleman’s guitar, Robert Crawford’s snare’s beat, and then the post-production choral clapping coming in to solidify.
Lyrically, the title of the track is self-explanatory in light of the scenario in which it’s compared. Most of the songs strum along to the same criteria throughout From Missoula to Marsielle. The third track “Gypsy Wind” even has Phil Kenzie blowing out an homage to late saxophonist Clarence Clemons until the next song, “Mr. Song,” switches it up just for a second to a strictly Southern, easy locomotive country song adding an accompanying harmonica hummed by Coleman the whole song (not just for filler). “Mr. Song,” along with a latter track, “Deep Royal Blue,” play as slow as Coleman can throughout the record. Everything else is straight Springsteen, Petty and B.O.C. gigging in a Southern bar room for a nice summer evening.
Coleman usually stays around Murfreesboro to host “Writers Night” at 3 Brothers off the Square every Wednesday night at 8 p.m. for other up and coming Murfreesboro musicians wanting to put themselves in front of a good-sized crowd, but if any other Coleman shows are being scheduled, they will be posted at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ryan-Coleman/139641736104404. From Missoula to Marseille can be found streaming on Pandora.com or bought at Amazon, iTunes and CDbaby.
