When you come across a singer/songwriter like latest PEV feature Matthew McNeal, you can’t help but get a little excited. As a ‘tough to classify’ artist with a clear direction in his songwriting, McNeal’s songs drip with passion and echo with original melodies – the type of tunes that makes an hour feel like five minutes. Certainly however, McNeal finds himself in some sort of Americana sub-genre, as the Fort Worth native continues to produce southern songs built in roots rock, and the PEV office speakers can’t get enough of it.
McNeal calls the big city his home now, but he started out in small town, USA (otherwise known as Terrell, TX), with a direction in his lyrics. He says “I sing a lot about doubt and hard times and loneliness, but through it all I always try to instill a feeling of ‘it’s all gonna be alright’. Whether one finds their hope in God or friends or family, I want that feeling to always be present in my music whether the songs are loud and crazy or soft and somber.” This message of hope can be found on Matthew’s debut EP, When You’re Down, as well as his latest collection, Compadre.We had the chance to sit down and ask the source all about it – he said, “I think people are going to really be surprised. It’s a very dynamic record, both emotionally and sonically. I had the best team with me throughout the entire recording process and I couldn’t be happier with the album. The whole writing process for the album was very natural and organic. It took over seven months of working the tunes to get them to where I wanted them, then the songs really came to life over the course of ten days in the studio.”
You must sample McNeal’s latest single, “Alonely” – click to http://matthewmcneal.com/
to bless those eardrums and prepare for Compadre in June. He’ll be staying busy on the road supporting the record, so don’t forget to check out that schedule as well. But first – of course – keep reading. There’s so much more to dive into in all the answers to the XXQs below.
XXQs: Matthew McNeal
PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what makes you different from others in your genre?
MM: It’s always so hard to classify everything into a certain genre. I tend to fit into the ‘Americana’ category more than anything else. I’m a big fan of unique melodies, so I try to always bring that into play. I like to blend roots-rock grooves with a constant (but not overdone) southern feel. I was called ‘garage country’ the other day- still don’t know what that means, but I think it’s a good thing to be a ‘hard to classify’ artist.
PEV: Calling Fort Worth, Texas home, what kind of music where you into growing up? Do you remember your first concert?
MM: I owe a lot of my musical taste to my mother- she loved 70s-90s country and old-school R&B. I remember listening to everything from George Jones and George Strait to Teddy Pendergrass. I think that’s what developed my love for soulful grooves alongside southern twang. I’m pretty sure my first concert was at a rodeo in Dallas (?) I might have to get back to you on that one!
PEV: What was it like trying to break into the music scene when you first started? What was your first show like?
MM: I originally grew up in a small east Texas town (Terrell, TX) and there wasn’t much to do. I played in two pretty locally-successful groups in high school and since there wasn’t much to do out there, we had a pretty solid following from the beginning. Though I started passionately pursuing my solo career in 2012, I’ve been playing gigs since 2007.
My first real show was with some older buddies of mine. I was 14 and they were 18/19. We had an awesome turnout at our hometown venue since we promoted it for a long time. I think that’s when I realized that it wasn’t just the music that brought people to shows, you had to get the word out and build excitement for what you’re doing.
PEV: What can fans expect from a live Matthew McNeal show?
MM: We play as a two-piece, my drummer and I. We tend to get a little more rowdy and change things up a bit. We’ll add heavier grooves and make things a little more energetic. I’ve always believed that the live show experience should be different than listening to a record. I want to surprise people and keep folks coming back to my shows to see what we’re going to change next.
PEV: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you step on stage to perform?
MM: I always try to test the room. We play everywhere from honkytonks to dive bars to venues big and small (even the occasional backyard/house show), so I’m always trying to figure out what the crowd is going to enjoy the most. Sometimes we get the dance floor moving and shaking like it’s Footloose and other times we have people simply tapping their feet and nodding their heads.
PEV: What is the best part about being on stage in front of an audience?
MM: Though it sounds simple, I love being able to just let loose and have a good time up there- dancing around and stomping my feet during the wild tunes as well as bringing an intimate feel to the room during the more emotional songs. I believe that whoever is on stage has the power to command a room. If you’re up there having a good time, the crowd will have a good time. If you’re up there singing genuine songs, the crowd is going to really notice.
PEV: What was the underlining inspiration for your music?
MM: As corny as it sounds, I’d say ‘hope’. I sing a lot about doubt and hard times and loneliness, but through it all I always try to instill a feeling of ‘it’s all gonna be alright’. Whether one finds their hope in God or friends or family, I want that feeling to always be present in my music whether the songs are loud and crazy or soft and somber.
PEV: Thinking back to when you first started out do you ever look back at your career and think about your earlier days and how you’ve arrived where you are today?
MM: Absolutely. I think looking back at where you’ve been and everything that’s shaped you helps you realize how awesome of a ride life is. I look back on the opportunities I’ve had alongside the hard times that I’ve come across and it really keeps me in line and helps me look for new ways to better myself and my career.
PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about you?
MM: I’m colorblind! Any time we’re out on the road playing a show, I have to get a couple of different outfits out of the van and ask Andre (my drummer) if my clothes match!
PEV: What happens when you hit a brick wall when writing? What are you methods to get over it?
MM: I’ve found that silence is the best cure to hitting writer’s block. I live by the Trinity River, so just going out there and getting away from music for a little while helps get my mind back on track. Music is such a huge part of my life that I can sometimes get overwhelmed by it, so I have to reset my brain and ears every once in a while.
PEV: How do you think the industry has changed since you first started out in the industry?
MM: I think there’s an ebb and flow with everything in the industry. I’m still so young, so I feel like I’m the one that’s learning and growing. I think we’re in the middle of a music renaissance though, especially in the world of americana and roots music. I think people are starting to realize that there’s much more music out there than what’s on their 6 preset radio stations and that’s a really cool thing to watch unfold.
PEV: What can fans expect from your latest release, “Compadre”? What was the writing process like for this album?
MM: I think people are going to really be surprised. It’s a very dynamic record, both emotionally and sonically. I had the best team with me throughout the entire recording process and I couldn’t be happier with the album. The whole writing process for the album was very natural and organic. It took over seven months of working the tunes to get them to where I wanted them, then the songs really came to life over the course of ten days in the studio.
PEV: With all your traveling is there one area you wish you could travel around and play that you have not yet?
MM: I’d love to travel around the west coast. California, Oregon, Seattle. I think that it’s such a neat part of the country and I’d love to play out there all the time. On the other hand, I’d love to make my way out east much more as well. I spend a lot of time traveling the more southern states, so I’m just excited to travel the country and explore the places I’ve never been while out on the road.
PEV: How have all your friends and family reacted to your career?
MM: I’ve got the most supportive family and friends in the world. I receive constant encouragement from all of my loved ones and I couldn’t be more thankful for it all. I recognize that it’s certainly not like that for all musicians, so I always try to show my thankfulness to them.
PEV: What can we catch you doing in your spare time, aside from playing/writing music?
MM: My folks have a woodworking shop behind the house, so I like to go out there as much as I can. I just love being able to create. Whether it’s dabbling in the world of woodworking or painting or whatever I find myself getting into, I just enjoy working with my hands and making something from nothing. I’ve always found that kind of stuff to be fun and rewarding.
PEV: Name one present and past artist or group that would be your dream collaboration? Why?
MM: I think playing alongside the Avett Brothers would be insane. I’ve always found their energy during live shows incredible, not to mention the fact that I think they’re songwriting geniuses. When it comes to past artists, I’d have to go with 1987 Michael Jackson right after ‘Bad’ was released. No one was able to command a stage like him, no one was able to move like him. Though often times people only look back at the scandalous past of his late career, there’s no denying that Michael Jackson circa 1980-1990 was incredible.
PEV: Is there an up and coming band or artist you think we should all be looking out for now?
MM: My first thought would be fellow-Texan Shakey Graves. He’s the best in the business as far as I’m concerned. I’ve also been really into Andrew Comb’s new album. I can’t talk about those two fellas enough- they’re both incredible.
PEV: If playing music wasn’t your life (or life’s goal) what would be your career?
MM: Hot air balloon pilot.
PEV: So, what is next for Matthew McNeal?
MM: The new album will release in June, then I’ll be making my way around the states playing gigs and trying to get the music out there. I’m at a really exciting spot in my career to where the future is uncertain, but I’m going to continue full speed ahead.