I was given an opportunity, recently to ask Ryan Karazija, formerly of Audrye Sessions, currently of Low Roar (check out my review of their new album here) a few questions in our ongoing series 10 Questions With Matty D. I found him to be extremely intelligent and affable, willing to answer some questions, but shying away from others. His new record is unlike anything he’d put out previously and the curiosity of that sound, that feel drove the interview in my mind. During the course of my research I found that he was a huge fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and was compared so frequently to Thom Yorke of Radiohead that it seemed to almost be a running joke.
Matty D – So Audrye Sessions breaks up, you move to Iceland and you make an album diametrically opposite to anything you made before. What was the impetus for the melancholy feel?
Ryan – I feel like everything I have done has always had a melancholy feel, but in a band the ideas would go through a bunch of filters and sometimes by the time they made it out to the other side they were not the same. Which at times can be good or bad. A lot of ideas I would write, just never saw the light of day, they just felt inappropriate for the project. This is the first time that the ideas came out and were recorded immediately. Everything was so quick. It was a really nice process.
Matty D – Why did Audrye Sessions break up?
Ryan – I feel like that is something that should be kept between the 3 of us, unless the 3 of us decide to share that at some point all together.
Matty D- Who is your favorite author of all time?
Ryan – Shel Silverstein
Matty D – What is your favorite drug?
Ryan – I’ve done my fair share of experimenting and I have found that I don’t like them. I wouldn’t say no if you wanted to buy me a beer, though.
Matty D – Is it a symptom of people not being able to divulge themselves from previous work that new emerging artists find themselves often compared to legends of the past or do you find it flattering that people compare you with someone like Elliott Smith or Thom Yorke?
Ryan – I don’t think too much about this at all. Actually, I don’t think about it at all. I guess it is nice to be compared to amazing people like them. But at the end of the day, I am not them, will never be them, nor do I want to be. I am just doing my own thing…not trying to be or be like anyone else. The minute you do that, whatever comes out is not sincere. Of course, it is hard not to be influenced, that just seeps into you without you knowing, but the minute it is self-recognized…I guess that’s when it can get a little dangerous. Actually, I have no idea what I am saying.
Matty D – Does Iceland provide you with the solace you need to write songs that you feel are better?
Ryan – I feel like I just needed a change in my life…and I got it here…but it could have been anywhere.
Matty D – What artist’s music makes you cringe?
Ryan – I don’t want to bash on anyone…maybe after a few drinks…but not here 
Matty D – Is it hard to watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia in Iceland?
Ryan – Well I can’t watch my DVD sets here…but i can watch it free on tvduck…which is awesome. I really love that show.
Matty D – Do you ever run into Bjork?
Ryan – She is sitting across from me as we speak.
Matty D – What are your long term goals for Low Roar?
Ryan – Well….make records and tour. We are working on 2 separate new records right now for Low Roar. Basically, with this project we do what we want to, when we want to, how we want to. There is no one to tell us not to…
