Wow.
This is a PHENOMENALLY great debut album, all the more impressive because it is entirely Matt's
production -- he plays all the instruments (drums, keyboards, bass, lead and rhythm guitars), sings
all the vocals (lead and harmony), wrote all the lyrics, composed all the tunes, and even recorded the
whole thing himself at home. And yet, it doesn't sound anything like a typical home-brew project.
The songwriting is good, the singing is good, the production is stellar, and the arrangements are
terrific. Vocals shift seamlessly in and out of harmony parts. Interesting vocal effects add drama.
Phrases overlap each other.
It is one of the best self-produced albums I've ever heard. I listened to the CD straight through,
twice in a row when I first got it. And I've been playing it more or less non-stop all week
since then. The more I hear it, the deeper my appreciation of its incredible strengths
becomes. I am truly floored by how much work must have gone into creating an album this complex,
and by how spectacular the end-result is.
In addition to its sensuous, lush sound, the album is rich in nuances that reward repeated listenings.
The drum part on "Circle" builds in intensity and combines with a pulsating/rotating sythesizer part
that relentlessly drives the song to its exhilarating conclusion. There is a moment in "Army of
Angels", just after Matt delivers the line "Army of angels, on burning wings", where, deep in the mix,
he's added a little guitar "whoosh" sound, creating an interplay between the music and the words which
is typical of the high level of craftsmanship that has gone into the album as whole. "Goodnight", a
song apparently about the death of the singer's mother, is perhaps the most beautiful song on the CD.
It slowly builds to a transcedent choir of multitracked vocals that is utterly breathtaking.
Then there is "Drown", a song so impeccably arranged and produced, it easily gets my vote for the song
on No Stone Unturned that is most likely to achieve the status of "hit single".
Finally, the sound quality of the CD is fabulous, allowing one to hear clearly the layers upon layers
of percolating percussion, bass, guitar and keyboard parts, and multitracked vocals. The whole album
has a rich, enveloping sound that is a decadent, sonic delight.
No Stone Unturned is a winner. It gets my highest, most enthusiastic recommendation.
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