Matt Pless – Water Sign Language
Some albums take time to get started, but Baltimore’s Mike Pless must be a happy guy because his opening tune is folky, upbeat, & delightful. That’s different. It hovers close to being silly, but it isn’t. The guitar work is picked clean; the harmonica is bright & Matt’s voice is filled with joy on “Genius Steals.”
The recording itself sounds a little hot in its production, but it’s probably part of the charm that’s layered in these songs. The tunes are spare, no big orchestras, showboating musicians, or thumping drums. “Ivy Juniper” is performed with a near-all-acoustic style of the ‘60s troubadour Donovan (“Turquoise”). And again, Pless is enthusiastic in his vocals & the melodies are modified nicely. More fire comes with the strumming guitar & fiery harmonica of “The Devil Buys the Rounds.” Clever lyrics.
This kind of performance isn’t new; it’s just that many artists don’t pursue this style much today, & Pless is quite good. Singer-songwriter Henry Phillips (the LP “Number 2”) has followed the same path for years, but Phillips injects far more humor. His exceptional guitar work cancels out the silliness (“Urban Myth”). I hear the same entertaining value as Pless in this project as I did with Henry in 1999.
Matt applies a soft, dreamy finger-picking acoustic element to each piece on his 7th album Water Sign Language (Dropped June 26/Independent/34:31), produced by Pete Steinkoph in Asbury Park, NJ (with one cut recorded at the famous Sun Studios in Memphis, TN). Matt’s PR outlines that he covers in this repertoire: love, good luck, bad luck, discovering your true self & throws in a little protest. The only misstep is the way too hot “Comin’ Through the Rye.” Good reverse idea (critiquing the counterculture, wow), but the shouting is a bit…tinny.
It doesn’t take long for Matt to get back on track; his lyrics & playing are always superb. He has a storytelling quality that even touches upon the late Steve Goodman. Matt just hasn’t found his “City of New Orleans,” yet. But his sharp wit comes polished on the most rollicking home run: “Pot of Gold.” This is a tune that an average singer would lose breath singing, & an average guitarist would get blisters on his fingers. The melody is familiar, but I couldn’t place it. It’s good anyway. Fun.
This is a busker (he’s played subways, streets & sidewalk cafes) who glances across political & environmental issues but never comes on strong & offensive. If this is the face of modern-day folk music, he has a future. From New Jersey, huh? Home of Sinatra & Springsteen. There’s hope.
Highlights – “Genius Steals,” “Ivy Juniper,” “The Devil Buys the Rounds,” & “Pot of Gold.”
Color image courtesy of Matt’s Bandcamp. CD @ Bandcamp & https://www.mattpless.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Video Premiere: Matt Pless “Ivy Juniper”