So I met this guy when I was volunteering last fall. He said he was in a band. He was a nice enough guy but I assumed he sucked. I mean, every guy says ‘I’m in a band,’ but let’s be real – most of ‘em suck. Of course, you can assume that because you are reading this I assumed wrong. Oops. Ryan Rulon and his band, Spy For Hire, do not suck. Let me repeat, for the record, Ryan Rulon and Spy For Hire do not suck. In fact, they’re damn good!
I caught Ryan, without his band but with the assistance of Gene Wolfolk III, at Oxygen on a Thursday night right before he left for tour – Pensacola, New Orleans, and a stop in Austin for SXSW. That night he graced his audience with a selection of 80’s hits that reminded me of when my big sisters were the coolest girls on the planet because they had the biggest hair on the block. He totally Rocked the Casbah. Ryan has the stance of a rock star – cigarette dangling from his lip, Fender Jazz Master slung low on his hip over skinny jeans and sporting black Chuck Taylors. (What screams ‘ROCK STAR’ more than skinny jeans and Chuck Taylors?)
That night when I saw him, he hooked me up with a copy of Spy For Hire’s soon to be released disc, ‘Speak in Numbers.’ I’m loving their style – hip and slightly pretentious. It reminds me of art-pop from the mid-to-late 80’s, back in the pre-emo days. Their sound incorporates vocals in the tenor to falsetto range that lift the listener on diaphanous clouds of harmony to jangle-guitar euphoria.
The opening track ‘As Good As New’ is an electronica-driven tune with snappy snare rhythms and sweeping vocals. As with most tunes on the disc, the lyrical themes are a bit dark and brooding. This song talks about phones that won’t ring, knocks on the door that never come, and an utter lack of desire to get out of bed and face the world. However, in a manner that is similar to the Smiths, the upbeat tempo and cheery melodies temper the melancholy.
‘Things Used To Be Good’ might be my favorite tune on the CD. Folky guitar riffs, tambourines, and a Hammond organ create a sound that reminds me of Crowded House or the Pretenders. Lyrics like ‘I’m gonna sing a song, and I want you to sing along’ seem like touchy-feely happiness until you listen deeper and realize the song is an apology to an abused lover.
As a whole, the album seems to contain influences such as those mentioned above as well as influences from 80s new wave such as The Cure and The Clash. (The guitars and rhythm on ‘Moontower’ particularly remind me of the Clash.) The production sound is polished and well developed, particularly for a freshman effort. ‘Speak In Numbers’ is definitely worth a listen.
By the time this article hits print, Ryan will be back from his world tour and playing his usual solo gigs here in Columbus – Wednesdays at Suite 23, Thursdays at Oxygen, and Sundays at Max’s in Phenix City. ‘Spy For Hire’ will make their next local appearance on May 8th at Soho. Tracks are available for listening at the band’s MySpace page and the album will be released for sale on iTunes sometime this month.
