I love Matthew Ryan‘s recent album Boxers (2014), which Ryan has described as sounding “like Crazy Horse meets early Replacements with nods to more recent bands I love like the National.” One of the many highlights on the album is “Then She Threw Me Like a Hand Grenade.”
The title of “Then She Threw Me Like a Hand Grenade” gives away the broken-hearted theme underlying the song. But with Ryan’s poetic lyrics, one may often find something more complex and beautiful beneath the surface: “Three fires lit a spark in me /
It took me years to understand the weight / If you’re a prisoner to anything you’re not free / Then she threw me like a hand grenade.”
In the video below, Ryan performs “Then She Threw Me Like a Hand Grenade” as part of the Yellow Couch Sessions. Check it out.
Dave Cantrell at Stereo Embers calls Boxers “Ryan’s finest work yet” and “the record that should bring the too-many that have missed it to discover this artist’s long, deep, and riveting catalog.” I agree that Boxers shows that Ryan is still at the top of his game, and hopefully it will lead listeners to explore his other albums too.
Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
Thanks for your post about Boxers. That video is terrific.
I had followed Matthew Ryan for a number of years but had never seen him play live until 2015 in Louisville. At that time, I hadn’t heard Boxers and hadn’t really kept up with his more recent music. It was a powerful show and a reminder of what I love about his music.
That’s great. I would have loved to have seen him in some of the recent shows after Boxers came out. I’ll have to keep an eye out for the next round. Thanks for the comment!