Ollie Bryan : Bright & Shiny Songs

It's that time of week and I've got another fantastic artist for all of you. I felt like finding a real down to earth guy today, who just does the songs the way they're meant to be. No added effects, backing vocals and so on. Just a guy who plays the songs brilliantly. And luckily, after about two minutes of listening to Oasis covers, I came across Ollie Bryan doing a raw, acoustic version of their masterpiece "Hello." I loved it and I know you will too, so check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLDiSL2IipQ

Great stuff, right? When I saw that this video was from back in 2010 I was worried he might have stopped posting but luckily he keeps on going, and you can check him out on Facebook, Twitter etc. He's an active musician. And what about that cover? He does it in a very "Noel" way, which suits him terribly. And though he may not have done it intentionally his shadow against the wall adds a certain eeriness to the song that I love. As for the guitar, he's doing Noel justice with that smooth sounding tone and easy strumming.

So, if you dug that cover, make sure you subscribe to his Youtube channel, check him out on Facebook and all the rest. He's got a bunch of covers that are just great. Another one that caught my ear (and my eye, since he grew up), is of the Killers' "Mr. Brightside." I might have heard that song every night while working at The Bull in Richmond back in 2010 but I'm still not crazy about it. Nevertheless, this acoustic rendition is stunning and I think you'll agree with me. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psK-pnpffnY

Aside from the fact that Ollie's grown up, he's evolved as a musician. The texture of his voice just developed tremendously, as did his guitar style. It all glues together and makes for a beautiful performance that would capture anyone's ear at a gig! I've got to say that I love it when artists stick to their passion and really don't give up. Even the ones who make it. Some people think that making it means they can kick back and relax, but honestly, why? If you love music, you gotta keep at it and I respect this guy for doing just that!

Now, I never mentioned that Ollie is a fantastic songwriter. He's got a bunch of stunning little ditties on his channel that you can browse through and check out. There's definitely a lot of John Mayer/Jason Mraz in that original stuff. A song of his that stood out to me is called "Quite Like Jane." Like a lot of artists, Ollie shines most when playing originals. So, make sure you have a good listen and enjoy his bright and cool style that flows throughout his music. Thanks for supporting Youtube's artists! Check back next Thursday for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pJNnb92cb4

Alex Hamel