Ryan Fox - The Illusion (single)
Ryan Fox is a folk rock singer-songwriter from Kent, UK. Ryan's gentle, smart, poetic songs have been played on FolkCast, Hermitage FM, Miskin Radio and Sheppey FM. His songs have reached the semi-finals of the UK Songwriting Contest. On a day to day basis Ryan can be found trying to remember what he did and where he was only yesterday, honing his Al Pacino impersonation in the shower, and trying to get his code to work. He has yet to make much progress on any of the above. Ryan grew up in Northampton and settled in Kent after leaving university. He is a qualified secondary school physics teacher and is currently studying at Imperial College London for a PhD in theoretical physics. Ryan has acted with the Canterbury Players drama group, appearing as TomJon in Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters. He appeared on the BBC TV show Pointless, but him and his wife were mugged of victory by a dodgy question on geography.
Ryan's gentle, smart, poetic lyrics draw inspiration from Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Donovan, Woody Guthrie, Dylan Thomas, Percy Shelley, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Eagles, The Beatles, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and Roy Orbison. His musical influences include Bob Dylan, Donovan, Elvis Costello, Eagles, Johnny Cash, Pete Seeger, Don McLean, Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, The Beatles, The Band, Neil Young, The Seekers, The Byrds, Noel Gallagher, ELO, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and the Nashville TV series.
Gentle yet dramatic piano introduces the story of The Illusion where Fox pays a tribute to all the magicians he watched on Tv as a kid. His generally deep vocal shows its range in the chorus where he can reach heights but everything feels natural, nothing is forced. The darkness sets upon the song as the story unfolds. You are sensing a tragic ending. It may or may not come, depending on your imagination. Isn't this just what all the illusionists do? Lead us their path and make us believe what we want to believe. Ryan Fox is doing the same thing with this song, enchanting us by his voice, drawing us into his world and letting the music and words do the trick.