Ryan Darton, "I Am A Moth."

I’ve been lucky to have many friends in my life who have become amazing musicians. Some of them have become famous, some of them play live shows at local bars/venues and some of them just continue to make music because that’s what makes them happy (regardless of if they’ve become famous or not). I’ve always enjoyed watching them grow and change.

I’ve been watching my friend Ryan Darton grow and change for over 10 years… I remember the good ol’ days when I used to watch his band Underlie play in high school. All of our friends wore our “Underlie” T-shirts with pride. Ryan has definitely grown a lot since then. His voice and music has matured so much throughout the years and it’s such a good feeling to watch friends grow, change and excel throughout life. I highly recommend you check out his new album – “I Am A Moth.”

If you are like me you are always chasing the sound of the Garden State soundtrack in one way or another.  “I Am A Moth” definitely has a Garden State feel to it. It’s got a great mix of rock and acoustic guitar and you can tell that Ryan has been influenced by many great bands such as Jimmy Eat World, Pinback, Jason Mraz, Daphne Loves Derby, Panic at the Disco, etc.

The album is mellow, romantic, thoughtful, poetic, upbeat and has great lyrics. Each song is so eclectic and the vibe changes from one song to the next so it keeps you on your toes.

The beginning of the album starts out with poetic lyrics and melodies with the song “Summer and Snow” and then moves into a Panic at the Disco like song with a great harmony called “Sing To Me Baby” that makes you want to tap your toes and get up and dance.  

“Uptight” is my favorite song on the album. It has great lyrics, great drums and a great melody - “I’m gonna fix this hole and make it new… I’m gonna catch this bird and make him sing and only sing for me.”

Another song with great, romantic lyrics is “You are Mine” - “Hold me close until we turn to wine. Let our lips touch til’ their like the sun. Fate has brought us here and I’ve never been so in love…It’s your touch that keeps my fears away…”

Overall, the album is an extremely thoughtful compilation of poetry, romance and great music. I highly recommend you check it out.