ASHLEY HALM
Special to The Leader
Anyone who says Western New York doesn’t have the best local music scene is probably living under a very sad, very boring rock.
If they ask for proof, I wholeheartedly recommend showing them “First Sight,” the new EP from Ryan Perdz, which is available now on all streaming platforms.
I sat down earlier this week with the creators, Ryan Perdziak and Aidan Johnson, to talk about their inspirations for the EP and their plans for the future.
Between laughs, the two told me the story of how they met by chance in the same new student orientation group last fall here at Fredonia.
The way Aidan tells it, “My first thought was, ‘Wow, this kid does not give a sh*t about anything.’” After that, they met again through mutual friends, and the rest is history.
Ryan, a sophomore music industry major from Clarence, writes the lyrics and provides vocals and guitar, while Aidan, a senior communication and video production major from West Seneca, plays drums.
Back in January, Ryan had the opportunity to headline Band Against Bullying, a nonprofit music showcase at the University of Buffalo Center for the Arts that raises money and community awareness for bullying abuse prevention and dignity awareness in local schools.
“It was amazing,” he said. “People say we sound better live than in videos anyway, plus I love to be able to see people’s reactions to the music and feed off of their energy.”
Of course, with the ongoing pandemic and restrictions on entertainment venues still in place in many areas, the duo hasn’t had many opportunities lately to perform live together.
One way they have found to tackle this obstacle is social media. Ryan’s YouTube channel where he posts lyric videos, music videos, covers and live performance recordings has over 1,000 subscribers, and his TikTok page has “totally blown up,” as Ryan and Aidan said, with almost 180 thousand followers and 1.4 million likes.
Their new EP, “First Sight,” recorded and produced at World of Noise Recording Studio in Buffalo, is a tribute to a large and diverse group of musical inspirations from the past, infused with a modern twist that makes it fit for your earbuds just as much as your dad’s old cassette collection.
For inspiration, Ryan looks to rock icons from the late ‘60s like Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, while Aidan’s frequent listening spans from ‘80s rock to ‘90s hip hop and everything in between.
“With these songs, I was kind of trying to reinvent the classic grunge sound in a new, modern way,” Ryan said. “But I wrote the lyrics from my personal experiences. We only want to write the music we like; we aren’t trying to please anyone except ourselves.”
To me, Ryan’s vocals are a dead ringer for Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam, but the overall sound of the EP is super mellow and surprisingly soulful.
The title track is a melancholic but hopeful one-who-got-away jam, with an acoustic vibe reminiscent of Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Like “First Sight,” “Read My Mind” is a sweet but energetic ode to possibly unrequited love, putting Ryan’s grungy but melodic vocals front and center.
“Maybe” is a heartfelt ballad that takes its sound inspiration, among other things, from the ‘90s hit “Barely Breathing” by one-hit wonder Duncan Sheik.
“New Sheet of Canvas” is a perfect finale for the track list, with its upbeat tempo and inspiring lyrics about starting fresh and growing into the person you’re meant to be.
Obviously, Ryan and Aidan don’t have any upcoming public performances to watch out for, but they say they are writing new music every day, with a new single potentially being released in the coming months.
They also recently got a manager and sponsorships through Universal Music Group, and they are incredibly excited and hopeful for what the future might bring.
Honestly, I’m right there with them.
“First Sight” is available now on all streaming platforms. You can follow along with Ryan and Aidan’s music journeys and stay updated on new releases by following them on social media at @ryan_perdz_music and @aidancj7 on Instagram, Ryan Perdz on Youtube and @ryanperdz on TikTok.