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Review by JACK GRAZIOTTI

When first approaching the vast ocean that is today’s pop music audience, many independent artists announce themselves by offering a brief EP showcasing a handful of their most viable works, effectively dipping their toes in the ocean to test it but making no splash whatsoever.

But not RYAN WEBB.

In producing his 70-minute debut “Symphony of Symmetry” Webb has taken a running leap, launched into a somersault pike with a double twist, and plunged in whole-heartedly. Endearingly honest and delightfully diverse, “Symphony of Symmetry” is a bold statement of ability and intent. “I know what I can do, and I’m going to do it well - whether I sink or swim.”

Having laboured on the local circuit for a number of years, Webb teamed up with producer Rob Agostini in 2007. It took around a year to record and then meld the 14 tracks of modern pop-rock, acoustica and folk-tinged blues into one easy-listening epic, but it was time well-spent. The result is a pristine production, coloured with a rich diversity of sounds; piano, keyboard, violin, harmonica and mandolin joining the customary guitars and drums.

Opening track ‘Don’t Suffer Fools’ is a romping, rocking anthem that encourages the listener to ponder what life really means to them. Sustained, distorted chords are speckled with awkwardly off-beat vocal licks, rendering this track unique in the context of the album, which predominantly utilises acoustic or clean guitar. Thus whilst it makes an interesting opener, it does not foreshadow the music to come.

The distortion pedal is put away for second track ‘Sandcastles’, and from this point Webb’s flair for penning pop songs really begins to shine through. Catchy melodies spout from the speakers with uniform regularity, polished with subtle guitar changes and dreamy vocal back-ups in all the right places. It is a style of music that reminds this reviewer of Alex Lloyd at his hit-writing best. Any one of the next six songs would be right at home on easy-listening radio stations, so apparent is their accessibility. Acoustic ditty ‘Tag Along With You’ is particularly catchy, and really does as the title suggests, wedging itself firmly inside your noggin.

At 9th track ‘Everything In Its Rightful Place’ Webb begins to mix things up, slowing the pace down with some steel string picking, sorrowful violin and tender vocal harmonies. ‘Travellin’ Light’ snaps the mood back to an upbeat feel as Webb sings of the nomadic, material-free life over bird-like electric guitar bends and a crooning harmonica. ‘Twenty Something’ then returns to the downcast, finger-picking mode, this time accompanied by ghostly sound effects which linger like mist in the background with an equally nebulous vocal effect. The sadness flows through to ‘Remember Me Elin’, a nostalgic, piano-driven piece, and then ‘Bedrooms And Boardrooms’, a soft guitar piece featuring glittering guitar picking. Finale ‘A Mirror Image’ carries this down-tempo precedent through, but gradually builds into a 10 minute epic with an uplifting, soulful climax.

For all its instrumental diversity, “Symphony of Symmetry“is characterised by an underlying simplicity. The essence of this simplicity stems from Webb’s humble personal voice, which runs through the album like a freshwater stream through a country town, nourishing all it touches with its fresh, clear goodness. Anyone looking for simple, honest music will do well to follow Webb’s lead and plunge