Matt Blake – Cheaper To Fly
This is Maryland’s Matt Blake’s 2nd effort — filled with an assortment of well-written & well-played acoustic-based atmospheric story songs. He has the balladry consistency of a Kenny Rankin mixed with the tonality of a Guy Clark. That’s a hell of a cool combination. The first 2 songs are quite good but the drifting vocalization of “Whole New Thing,” has an acute perspective with a deep resounding sensibility.
If Frank Sinatra were recording today & someone brought this kind of folky-country balladry to his attention I think Frank would say “Yeah…I can do this…” while pouring a Jack Daniels & lighting a cigarette. He’d do it with class. Because quite frankly (pun intended) Matt Blake sings it with class, like Frank would.
“Hiding In Plain Sight,” has a shaken not stirred J.J. Cale groove diluted slightly with Mickey Newbury finesse. It’s a likable merge because a blues singer can pour a lot of blues into this jaunty upbeat tale. The gentle & intense “The Bottom,” is filled with darkness, tragedy & dramatic reach. It has what a gothic novelist only wishes could be captured in a story. The musicians submerge into their instrumentation & the melody seeps into the curtains, walls, floorboards & the wine tastes — woodier. There’s nothing like a creepy well-told Americana folk tale where the dark water fills the bubbly theme just below the murky surface.
The 10-affordable tracks recorded in L.A. on Cheaper To Fly (Drops March 22-Independent/JTM Music/38:00) were produced by Doug Pettibone (guitars/mandolin/pedal steel & bgv). What makes this effort seamless is Matt’s (vocals/guitar) ability to perform the songs with a silent confidence peppered with a backwoods vocal spirit. His deep tone resonates with cask whiskey tonalities. A self-assurance that translates to a listener’s ear & if it does so – it will reach the soul. He does it with “Whole New Thing,” & it’s why a song like “Things We Used To Do,” has a nice male Lucinda Williams tangle to it.
A singer like Matt can approach the visionary lyrical & perceptive melody ornamentation of Tom Waits & Joe Henry without losing his rootsy musical touch. Matt comes from the imagined ancestry of songwriters as storytellers – the Townes van Zandt, Guy Clark, Michael Dinner, Robert Hazard, Lyle Lovett, Mickey Newbury & J.J. Cale ministry of balladeers & troubadours. They let us borrow their true stories & tall tales because they’re song authors who make listening to songs interesting. Matt’s “Things We Used To Do” is such a shining example.
Highlights – “Big Snow,” “Cheaper To Fly,” “Whole New Thing,” “Hiding In Plain Sight,” “Help Me,” “Ohio,” “Things We Used To Do” & “The Bottom.”
Musicians – Patrick Warren (keyboards), David Piltch (bass), Don Heffington (percussion/RIP-1950-2021), Alice Wallace (bgv/yodels on “Save the World”), Kim Yarborough & Gia Ciambotti (vocals).
Color image courtesy of Matt Blake & Devious Planet. CD @ https://mattblake.com/index/home.html
