Reviews
Artist:Matt Mitchell Music Co Album: Obvious Euphoria
Label: American Standard Time
Tracks: 9
Website: https://mattmitchellmusicco.bandcamp.com/album/obvious-euphoria
OBVIOUS EUPHORIA is Matt Mitchell Music Co's third album. Recorded in Astoria Oregon with Soulful Americana masters The Hackles, this is very much a meeting of kindred spirits with Luke and Katy from The Hackles, Olaf Ydstie and Ben Walden locking into a soft, often quietly euphoric shared groove.
"Hourglass" has a beautiful guitar and banjo melody and Matt's languid delivery of his lyrics about the passage of time and regret is just perfect. Like the best of soulful porch country music "Hourglass" has philosophy 'they say the best songs come from the worst of times' and great harmonies ( here provided by The Hackles Katy Clabborn). "Kerosene" has another insistent guitar part and more fine vocals from Mitchell and Clabborn. There is tension between the sweet delivery and almost nihilist destruction of the lyrics. Beautifully understated are the brush drums and upright bass of Luke and Olaf Ydstie on "Bootstrap Nation". The anthemic lyric celebrates both sides of the American Dream, as with feisty gospel backing Matt seethes and burns in a way that is the absolute opposite of understated. "Meanwhile" and "It Is Better" are sublime pieces of Americana, with weary vocals like the best of Tom Russell, Townes Van Zandt, or Guy Clark over a rootsy mix of jazz, folk and Ben Walden's sweet electric guitar. The clarinet and guitar together are just a shimmering delight. The alcohol burned "Country Gonna Kill Me" is a bruised drinking song from a relaxed band that wouldn't sound out of place in the barn with Neil Young's HARVEST band. "House On Fire" musically is another golden Country lullaby with a bitter sweet lyric and dreamy atmosphere. "Captain Toyota" is a bouncing feel good road song with charmed vocals and an infectious lope, to be listened to on the open road with the top down. "All In Good Time" has a touch of the melancholic weary Harry Nilson in its crooning vocals. Matt manages to be vulnerable and invincible at the same time while band plays slowly around him. Mitchell manages to pack so many musical ideas into comparatively short tracks, I could have listened to the gospel like second section with iys vocal refrain all night.
Absolutely loved this album, its worldly lyrics, languid troubador vocals and beguiling mix of Soulful Jazz Folk Country. Cannot believe this is the first of Matt Mitchell Music Co's albums I've heard, off to track down the other two.
Marc Higgins
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