Matt Jaffe – “Insomnia”
Americana Highways presents this video premiere of Matt Jaffe’s song “Insomnia.” “Insomnia” appeared on his recently released album White Roses in the Snow, which was produced by James DePrato, engineered by James DePrato with some arrangement by Patrick Warren (Liz Phair).
“Insomnia” is Matt Jaffe on vocals and guitar and Patrick Warren on strings.
This video was directed and edited by Alcatraz Pete.
With strains of suspenseful tones that could well have been placed in the movie Psycho, and soaring symphonic elements, this song is truly innovative as it holds your attention with a bit of a twist. Gnarled branches, a lonely bridge, and changing color schemes in the video bring the emotional tension of the song into a visual field most precisely. “The sun is nowhere to be seen….”
Over the last several albums, my music has shifted dramatically from productions that mirror my live performances to productions that eschew my onstage performances. “Insomnia” exemplifies this change as I haven’t (yet) mustered a string quartet outside of the studio. It’s exciting to me because we now conceive of the albums so that they best suit the songs and are not guided by the convenience of a current ensemble. I still usually play with a rock power trio but that no longer dictates how we record. This approach has opened doors to more cinematic, atmospheric visions in the studio. Now, I find myself at a crossroads of double reverse engineering: the songs that are performed in a rock setting need to be reimagined given the virtually infinite possibilities of the studio, while the expansiveness of the studio needs to be redefined by the realities of the power trio when the songs return to the stage. Both directions are opportunities for growth. That said, I am keen to one day perform “Insomnia” onstage with a string quartet, just as it appears on the album. — Matt Jaffe
Find the music and more details here: https://www.mattjaffemusic.com/audio