Artist of the Week: Ryan Calhoun

I stumbled upon Ryan Calhoun after he requested me on MySpace and I gave his music a listen. The first song that played on his MySpace page was "Who We Are." A moving song with fitting piano accompaniment, Calhoun sings, "Mom and Dad, don't worry about your son/I'll be okay, I'll take these days one by one/Though the times are hard I still know where I belong/I keep looking up so I can hold on." With such ease and gracefulness, Calhoun draws the listener in with his heartfelt lyrics. On the last line of the song he sings, "'Cause at the end of the day all we have is who we are" and you believe him.

Hailing from California, the acoustic pop-rock singer-songwriter writes on his bio: "I'm not trying to save the world. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel or be the next cool indie artist. I just want to write great songs. I draw from my experiences in life. My relationships, my fears, my struggles everything that surrounds me. My songs are honest and I think that's why people can relate to them and have a connection."

And it's true. His songs are bursting with honesty and emotionally-filled lyrics. At times Calhoun's music recalls that of fellow California rocker Matt Nathanson with his sing-along choruses. However, setting himself apart is his ability to cause the listener to relate to his music wholeheartedly. Take his song "Draining" (video below). Calhoun sings, "You're afraid to let me go/'Cause you think I'm all you'll ever know/I'm trying to make things right/But I just need a little time/You wanted more, I needed space/To find where I fit into place/Please let me know that you're okay." The video is even more realistic, tying his lyrics and music in beautifully to the story. Edgier than previous tracks, complete with electric and bass guitar features, "Draining" demonstrates Calhoun's versatility and ability to switch things up and keep the listener intrigued.

Watch the moving video for "Draining" below and if you like what you hear, check Ryan Calhoun out on MySpace. I have a feeling he'll be selling out shows in no time.