Imagine Nick Drake cheering up a bit and living long enough to work with Beck, and you have an idea of how Matthew de Zoete sounds on his new album Colour Film. Produced by Les Cooper (Jill Barber, Good Lovelies, Meaghan Smith) and graced with beautiful harmonies by Julie Fader (Sarah Harmer, Great Lake Swimmers), Colour Film displays the confidence and strength of a young man hitting his stride.
This album calls for a darkened room, good headphones, and a glass of single malt. The disc’s 11 songs range from quiet ballads to muscular pop gems, rewarding the careful listener with surprising arrangements and deep, atmospheric production. Featuring an inspired rhythm section, lush keyboards, and sparkling pedal steel, Colour Film provides a spacious and modern home for a song-writer with a timeless aesthetic. Matthew blows the dust off sincerity, songwriting's forgotten virtue, and writes songs built on strong melodies and honest lyrics about everything from grandparents and divorce to washing dishes. In one four day studio session, the band locked in and took the songs and singer beyond anywhere they thought they'd go.
Matthew released his debut album Across the Sea in 2006, followed by Bottom of the World in 2008. In the past five years, he’s toured relentlessly
throughout North America and Europe, earning a reputation for smart songwriting, dynamic performances, and wry humour. He lives in Hamilton and has shared the stage with musicians such as Luke Doucet, Jenn Grant, Great Lake Swimmers, and Justin Rutledge. Matthew has performed at festivals including NXNE, CMW, In the Dead of Winter (Halifax), and Stukafest (Netherlands).
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