Ryan Trevor : Introducing Ryan Trevor :: Review

Ryan Trevor is a mysterious musician from New Zealand who self released his debut album ‘Introducing Ryan Trevor’ in 1977.  There’s not a lot about Ryan Trevor on the Internet and I’m hard pressed to find anyone who has ever heard of him and can positively lay claim to knowing any of these tracks on the debut.  That’s not the matter here although interestingly enough Trevor’s Myspace page lists his accomplishments as getting demo pushed around by Warner Bros. in the early 70’s amongst his collaborations with Barry Manilow.  Trevor was also a roadie with Robin Trower in the mid-seventies before starting his own Ryansongs label that also doubled as a recording studio.

Trevor’s recordings have a very Beatlesque vibe with an added emphasis on McCartney’s material.  In this case, Trevor’s songs sound like McCartney’s if Paul wrote the melodies and the lyrics were edited by a lysergically strung out Syd Barrett. It’s an interesting concept and it almost works on this debut but something rings hollow. “Introducing Ryan Trevor” comes off as odd and slightly manufactured in spots and completely skewed in others.  What was created is a weird 60’s pastiche that people can pull out and identify the references, which abound on the 14 tracks.

The album opens with a chugging “Prelude” before diving headlong into the acoustic Paul McCartney clone, “Nights in the City.”  “Nights In the City” wouldn’t be out of place on his ‘Ram’ album.  “By The Water” is another acoustic number; a waltz that sounds like it could have been recorded in Trevor’s bedroom.  Things take a turn for the weird after it with “Different Harmony” featuring a flanged guitar and strangely double tracked vocal by Trevor that distracts just as it emphasizes the “different” harmony.  The double tracked vocal effect wouldn’t be too bad if it didn’t sound like one of the munchkins from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ singing along with Trevor.  “I’m Getting Closer” is a 70’s era mid-tempo rocker that sounds like Badfinger should receive writing credits.

“Love Is The Key” offers a demented and strained circus atmosphere to the benefit of Side Two.  “Love Has Its Toll” takes a page from the Moody Blues and is the less annoying of the back-to-back love infused tracks.  Trevor even gets Kinky with “England” and “Notion of Love.”  Aside from some of the stranger tracks where Trevor sounds like he’s trying too hard, “Introducing Ryan Trevor” is a solid debut that showcased a promising young talent.  Perhaps it’s the excess that killed this album and made it a curiosity, we’ll never know for sure while its chief songwriter remains just as obscured as he was in the 70’s.  Maybe some day he’ll come out and offer explanations about this recording but until then listen to ‘Introducing Ryan Trevor’ with the lights out, a good stout in your hands and get ready to tune out today’s realities.

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“Introducing Ryan Trevor” is only available on vinyl from Drag City on November 17.