Artist:
Ryan Groff Title: People In the Midwest
Label: Parasol Records / PARCD105
Release Date: September 17, 2007
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People
In The Midwest is the debut solo album from
local scene leading man Ryan Groff,
frontman for regionally-acclaimed indie-anthem rock
act Elsinore.
Joyful, transcendent songstories with a spiritual
vibe, some sporting a sweet seventies soft-rock
vibe, others exploring more ’00 experimental
pop idealism. Ryan’s songwriting runs a bit
more expansive than your normal human. He lets the
instrumentation simmer somewhere between restrained
and minimalist and puts front and center a voice
(what a voice!) that recalls icons like Jeff Buckley,
Nick Drake and Elliott Smith (and Thom Yorke and
Freddie Mercury and Morrissey).
1.
Lake Water
2. Haiti
3. Polly
4. Landlocked
5. Gasoline
6. Harrison St.
7. Lines
8. Fatal Flaw
Ryan
Groff is twenty-something, classically trained
in voice and piano, and vocalist and guitarist
for his band Elsinor, which he founded in 2002.
Ryan had recorded solo stuff before but it was
during the People In The Midwest sessions
that his new compositions really seemed to evolve.
What started as a lo-fi Christmastime recording
project became something much more. With friend/engineer/producer
Jeff Janczewski at the helm Ryan’s songs
quickly came to life, better than they had imagined.
So they started borrowing better equipment and
trying out unique studio scenarios, putting a
ton of brain-power into the production of the
songs. Within weeks, the re-recordings and new
mixes came together and the good vibes were truly
major. Meanwhile Parasol got wind of these goings
on and made an offer. The happily-ever-afters
of this particular fairy tale have become People
In The Midwest. With his solo album Ryan
realizes he has some exploring to do, musically
and professionally. He’s hearing more deeply
the music created by his heroes: The Beatles and
Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and Elliott Smith, and
hearing the personal song- and studio-craft behind
the songs. Along with recording and touring with
Elsinore look for Ryan to perform his solo material
around the Midwest, with larger scale touring
in the near future.
