Slowfall is a Rock/Pop Alternative project from Orange County’s Ryan Schicht who has been playing guitar, writing and recording songs since his teenage years. With influences like Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, Train, and Third Eye Blind, the project provides an eclectic Rock/Pop Alternative twist with lyrics of love, loss and hope. Slowfall has just dropped the Lead-off single “Speak Up” from the upcoming “All These Seasons” album set to release soon. What quickly transpires from this track is that Ryan Schicht is one of the better song writers working today.
If having a catchy, almost mainstream pop rock sound is how highly talented, immensely listenable alternative bands like Slowfall manage to hit our ears, well, then I just wish it would happen more often. This is, quite simply, beautiful music.
There is so much baggage hung on the whole alternative music scene, that’s it’s refreshing to see a return to the basics of harmonious composition and great singing. There isn’t a bad moment anywhere, not one bit of sappiness, annoyance, boredom, or any other of the failings that have doomed countless of promising alternative bands, who try to fit the mainstream for more visibility.
In a nutshell, if you love music, this project quite literally has everything you want. This song is a great kick-off to the upcoming album. The lyrics are powerful and the sound is immersive, which is important when a track is trying to draw you into the journey it’s about to take you on, as Ryan sings: “I know you keep things hidden, Somewhere deep, Below this great divide. It gets hard in here, Hard my dear, You don’t have to hold it all inside…”
The rootsy guitar and more alternative influences flowing underneath the arrangement, give the song extra boost and energy and the strong vocal performance just makes you go along with the song, as Ryan Schicht echoes with a confident radio-ready croon.
And with “Speak Up”, Slowfall delivers a great song that is both gentle and powerful. The interaction between the vocals and instrumental is quite perfect and the feeling and passion the Ryan Schicht provides in the song is memorable.
Slowfall also comes up with some clever hooks and the song comes to full potential in the soaring choruses. Ryan music sounds matured and strong in almost any aspect. “Speak Up” is a song that should propel Slowfall right into the industry and public eye, and if it doesn’t, something is seriously wrong with the music world.