Album Notes

Clinging to the familiar is a very comfortable way to live, and it usually insures one can avoid the obvious fear of loss, rejection and pain if you make the wrong decision. Perhaps the greatest emotional devastation, however, comes from the unforeseen and often unvoiced fear of regret, especially from missed opportunities. It can eat you from the inside like cancer, but it is often not apparent until it is too late.

After several years in corporate America, Matt had considerable success at a young age. He was well liked by his peers and lived a comfortable lifestyle. Despite what most people would call success, Matt had the overwhelming feeling that he was wasting away in an office and not fulfilling himself or his potential. On stage or writing and rehearsing music was the only thing that kept Matt's mind from wandering and his anxiety at bay.

It was fear that made him cling to his acceptable lifestyle despite reinforcement from countless friends, strangers, fans and other musicians who held his skills as a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist in high regard. Finally, after years of deliberation, the uncertainty of life of a musician overruled the status quo allowing Matt to finally leave his job in white-collar America to become a blue-collar musician.

In order to capture his vision, Matt spent three weeks in March 2005 going through preproduction and tracking the five song Never Comfortable EP with up-and-coming producer, Mike Shimshack in Brooklyn, New York. Playing with musicians of incredible caliber such as Nir Z (session drummer for John Mayer, Genesis, Jason Mraz) elevated the songs to a new level, and the end result is a very professional effort; an infectious modern rock record without the over-the top hooks and gimmicks that are often heard on the radio today.

And everything, so far, has been going according to plan. After hearing rough mixes of the EP, Matt was able to recruit some of the finest musicians in Chicago, including members of ex-major label bands, to accompany him on his musical journey. Matt has recently opened for Vertical Horizon, and Roy Langdon of Spacehog, Michael McDermott and Poi Dog Pondering, adding to his resume that includes appearances at Double Door, House of Blues, the Tweeter Center, and regular dates at Schuba's in Chicago opening for Jump Little Children, The Features, Will Hoge, The Smithereens and members of the Polyphonic Spree (as well as college gigs throughout the U.S.).

Now armed with the work ethic and left-brained smarts of the work-a-day world, combined with his inherent creative nature and strong catalogue of songs, there is nothing that can stop Matt from getting what he wants. Matt not only hopes to fulfill his own musical vision, but also hopes to inspire those who have let the feeling of familiarity and comfort of the status quo squander their true selves. No regrets, no excuses.....