Well folks, after long hiatus I'm back with some fresh news for y'all! I'm sure you all know him by now - Mr. Matt Cassell!
He's back with his upcoming release called "Five" and after I checked these two new songs, all I can say is - Matt has done it again! If you're into his previous soulful/funk/folk/whatever sounds, you'll dig this as well!
His official page can be found here and while you're there, don't forget to download two tracks from this album, "Like You" and "On a World Go Round"!
You know how some artists make shittier songs with every new album? Well, MLC is just getting better! I often wonder what would have happened if he never came back to writing music, if he never got back in studio... I guess we wouldn't be blessed with the previous EP (which I'm sure you checked out by now, if not, what are waiting for?) and with this one as well... I especially like how he incorporated that harmonica into his new songs...
Anyway...
....Artist's NOTES....
There are 8 titles on the new release including:
“Like You”, “On a World Go ‘Round”, “The Secrets to Michele”, and “Good to Me”
I stumbled upon the idea for “On a World-Go-'Round” while preparing to play some solo piano at a private Christmas party. I was poking around for some holiday-spirit possibilities, and while attempting to play "Silent Night," I really must have lost my way. I found an interesting chord sequence though, and when a bass part fell in line, in the vein of Puccini’s “Habanera” from Carmen, I glued things together and – sweet! Coincidentally, a close friend’s illness was on my mind and it really had me thinking,” Life is so precious, and man, we’re all just all spinin’ round here on planet earth and who knows…” and from there, the melody and complete lyric came to me. The harmonica is a great addition to the intro riff, and for the solo. I’m thrilled with the way the vocal harmonies came out, including the dissonant harmony at the end of each verse section, as in"...or why we spin around a star..." to its resolution – the chorus voices singing, "Every day, spinin' 'round..." it's very satisfying to me.
The lyric in “Like You” is emblematic of elusive love; the woman I always seem to be searching for, “...there are things I can't stop, things I still believe come true...like you”. The tune has an unforced funk feel that's right in the pocket. Subtle touches make the whole: a muted guitar line, the tasty bass and drums, while the piano & guitar chords nail down the rhythm framework for the background vocals, they're all involved in making it a funky feel.
“Good to Me” really starts to get its mojo workin' after the first verse, and the back-ground vocals are kickin' hard throughout, with the lead vocal stretching out some in the ending tag. Where as," The Secrets to Michele” turned into three vignettes. In the first section, I'm using the Rhodes keys with a rock groove. In the middle section, we break it down in half, and in flies a two-part harmony and I switch to acoustic keys. The tag ending is instrumental, and I'm back to the Rhodes, and I swear, it gets extremely funkinated here. The bass, drums, and keys – all coming together once again. Both songs were fully developed ideas that I never found the right time to record. They're right now.
“…Magic” I wrote so many years ago, so the song tends to morph. This variation is true to the way I originally conceived it – guitars only - just wood – with an acoustic bass. The guitar I'm using (on all three tracks) is a nylon string Spanish guitar, the one I've been writing and recording with all my life.
When I recorded and finished the lead vocal for “Suddenly,” it just took on this I'm a big tune feeling. Long ago, I saw the singer-songwriter Anthony Newly perform on TV. Contorting, and coiling his body around the microphone, he was quite the spectacle to witness, grinding his way through his epic hit, ”What Kind of Fool Am I?”...a true classic! And I'd like to think there's a little bit of that moment in this song from me. What I'm saying is, the vocal gets a little near the top (OK, in parts, it's really near the top), and I'm thrusting and gasping for everything I've got by the end of the freakin' tune – absolutely nothing left in the tank. And after a good re-mastering, it's in full bloom now.
“The Meaning of it All” and “Blind as Love Can Be” are from the Privatepress4 vinyl issue from last year, the pressing of 100. I'm very proud of that release. But in the future, would somebody please remind me to never, ever fuckin hand-make a 100 labels again! I thought these songs should get a little more exposure; both songs are solid. And btw, the funky bridge to "Blind As Love Can Be" – the homage to Tower of Power, it's there, along with the Hammond B3, to remind me of all the great bands I heard growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and for the many good memories.
I’m so grateful to be around talented musicians once again, and their skills are on display on this newest release. There's a good mix of songs, all done out of Marinwest studio; a crisp and clean recording.
Enjoy these two tracks, and I'll announce a drop date for Five very soon.
My Best to All
Mlc
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