4936 - MATT MAYS + EL TORPEDO (2005)
MATT MAYS + EL TORPEDO
''MATT MAYS + EL TORPEDO''
MAY 10 2005
63:47
1. Stand Down At Sundown/5:45
2. Travellin'/4:01
3. Cocaine Cowgirl/4:24
4. The Plan/3:31
5. Ain't So Heavy/3:44
6. St. George's Lane/4:57
7. Move Your Mind/3:02
8. What Are We Going To Do Come The Month Of September?/7:39
9. Good People/4:27
10. Lost Souls/3:27
11. It Don't Matter/3:10
12. On The Hood/4:56
13. Time Of Your Life/4:31
14. Wicked Come Winter/6:17
All Tracks By Mays
Tim Baker /Bass, Drums, Percussion
Kathleen Edwards /Vocals
Kate Maki /Vocals
Matt Mays /Arranger, Guitar, Harmonica, Pedal Steel, Vocals
Dale Murray /Pedal Steel
REVIEW
by Jason MacNeil
Matt Mays was originally in the Guthries, a roots-cum-alt.country band that enjoyed some success with a few albums. On this, his sophomore solo album, the singer has utilized an almost pristine balance -- fusing at times the jagged, loud garage rock of Neil Young into a tighter, more polished Tom Petty format. This gorgeous combination makes it easily one of the more impressive albums you'll hear, exemplified to a T on the rollicking opener, "Stand Down at Sundown." The nearly six-minute track grabs you by the throat and dares you not to hit the replay button time and time again, mixing Young's flair with a crunchy opening groove that is a distant cousin of Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy." "Travellin'" takes the tone down a notch with its midtempo roots feel as Mays nails the chorus. It's not quite Petty-esque, but producer Don Smith, who previously worked with Petty, produced several tracks on this album, including this one. However, nothing sounds more like Petty than the light but delectable "On the Hood," resembling something cruelly omitted from Into the Great Wide Open. "They're all looking for hits/I'd rather lay on the hood," he sings. He also delivers "St. George's Lane" and the world-weary "Good People" with a pretty country-rock flavor featuring some organ and pedal steel accents. However, the first single, "Cocaine Cowgirl," is a full-bore rock tune, one that hits the ground running and continues to shift into a higher, lovelier gear with great work from Mays, guitarist Jarrett Murphy, and bassist Andy Patil. But just as pretty is the softer Americana feel of "The Plan," with sweet give-and-take harmonies from Kathleen Edwards. There are also some pure pop nuggets, especially the melodic "Ain't So Heavy" and the slightly deliberate but powerful payoff during "Move Your Mind." Even the tracks that have the feel of coming down resonate, particularly "What Are We Gonna Do Come the Month of September?," with its slow and methodical roots vibe that sounds like a young and sneering Blue Rodeo or Wilco. Another plus is how the songs aren't anywhere near the cookie-cutter variety, often going five, six, or even seven minutes deep. Mays gives one of the better of several Grade A performances with "It Don't Matter," a tight, melodic party tune that winds itself around a country guitar arrangement. The anthem-like closer, "Wicked Come Winter," caps off this album perfectly. "The northern lights in the skies at night/Making music with my friends," he sings on a simply stellar offering. An hourlong album that will take you three hours to listen to.
BIOGRAPHY
by Mark Deming
Canadian roots rocker Matt Mays has become one of the nation's most popular new artists since hitting the road with his backing band, El Torpedo. Born on August 10, 1979, Mays first came to the attention of music fans as a member of the Nova Scotia-based alt-country band the Guthries, who formed in 1998. the Guthries released their first album in 2000, Off Windmill, but while the album was praised by critics and fared well with fans, Mays opted to strike out on his own. Mays released his first solo album in early 2003, simply called Matt Mays, and in order to tour in support of the release, he assembled a road band featuring Jarrett Murphy on guitar and vocals, Rob Crowell on keyboards and sax, Andy Patil on bass and vocals, and Tim Baker on drums, with Mays handling lead vocals and trading off guitar lines with Murphy. Extensive roadwork in Canada helped the band win a loyal fan base, and Mays gave his band co-star billing for his second album, Matt Mays + El Torpedo, released by Sonic Entertainment in the spring of 2005. The songs "Cocaine Cowgirl" and "On the Hood" became major hits in Canada, and the band was chosen to open a major Canadian tour by the Black Crowes. Mays began making noise in the United States after playing a showcase at the 2006 South by Southwest Music Conference and appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and in late 2006 Matt Mays + El Torpedo finally received a belated release in the United States through the independent 02:59 label. As Mays and El Torpedo began touring the United States to push the album in America, they were also playing larger shows at home in support of album number three, the ambitious When the Angels Make Contact. In early 2007, Mays relocated to New York City in order to better promote his career in America, and guitarist Jarrett Murphy amicably left El Torpedo; Jay Smith, from the Cape Breton band Rock Ranger, signed on as the band's new guitarist in April 2007.
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