Ryan Sambol | Ryan Sambol on Punctum Records Website | Ryan Sambol on Soundcloud

“Many moons ago, Ryan Sambol fronted the fantastic Austin band The Strange Boys. They disbanded in 2012 after 3 albums. Sambol begat the The Strange Boys at a young age, and the group was praised for its prodigious ability to synthesize all forms of roots, rock, and R&B. So much so, talk about the band became a vortex of genre names and touchstones–garage rock, Dylan, country, Doug Sahm, Nuggets… Apt comparisons, but what made The Strange Boys a great band was their loose, masterful evocation of all those vibes at once–they were a fiery, earnest, feel-good live band. What made The Strange Boys’ music great was Sambol’s keen sense of melody paired with his charming, off-kilter delivery. Yet for all The Strange Boys’ young fun and bombast, there was a countering element of beauty and introspection. The songs contained a world-weary seriousness, and Sambol vacillated between sunny and nihilistic outlooks. It’s a conversation that develops in his solo work, and separated from the vehicle of his band, his songwriter’s persona seems more beguiled and tormented. “ Read the full article here.

Ryan emerged from post- The Strange Boys obscurity in 2015 with three releases that had laid dormant for some time: 2011’s Peace Mob (with Living Grateful), and the first of two releases to see the light of day under his own name, 2012’s Now Ritual, and 2013’s 7” ep, After Lunch. These records deliver a stunning display of an artist very much in his prime, navigating seamlessly between baroque pop, jazz, and songbook.