You know when you play a song for a friend that you think will blow them away and they have a face like you’ve just farted at their close friends funeral? It’s disappointing isn’t it. But then again, that special something that clicked with you may get completely overlooked by them.
‘Colour Film‘, the début album by Matthew De Zoete is a personal record that has moments of absolute beauty and thoughtful musicianship. It is one to listen to privately.
It’s observant words could be as immortal as Simon and Garfunkel or as modern as Sufjan Stevens’ mini-epics. The reason for it’s open minded nature is the production it went through. Rural Ontario native De Zoete wrote quickly and expressively on a, acoustic guitar before experimenting with sounds and textures with his band and producer Les Cooper to make something very unique and spontanious.
Songs like “Mexico The Free” and the title track “Colour Film” combine reverberated country and folk with modern pop and synth sounds which give it a certain poignancy that you can only get in the 80’s chorus’ from artists like Annie Lennox.
This isn’t an album only of interesting little ballads though, tracks like “Who Do You Think You Are” is a punk track that has been renovated into an avant garde, harmonising classic, keeping its backbone and simplicity but adding layers of atmosphere to complete it’s meaning.
The great thing about this album is really how simple it is. There aren’t sounds or styles of which sound out of place or that smother the songwriting but at the same time, the backdrops that the music is painted on are rich in creativity and style.
The opening track “The Good Life” is a great introduction to the album and evidence that Matthew De Zoete‘s début is emotive and open to where the creativity takes him. This is one to listen to at midnight, by yourself and as loud as you can.
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Post by T.R. Wicks/ @TRWicks
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TRACKS:
The Good Life by MatthewdeZoete
