Can't Believe What I'm Hearing.....

Having seen Matt Eaton play live here and here, I was expecting the album to be similar: simple, unadorned folksy songs, just voice and acoustic guitar. The opening seconds to first song 'Can't Believe What I'm Hearing' show just how wrong I was: harp, cymbals and a orchestral flourish accompany ethereal female vocals - it's like the Tony Hatch Orchestra fired into outer space by Joe Meek - before dropping to silence and then Matt's world-weary monotone comes in. Accompanied by strings and piano and occasional trumpet. It is a shockingly good opening to a little gem of an album.

Matt's previous band Actress Hands were by all accounts noisy alt-rockers in a Dinosaur Jr vein. Difficult to credit when hearing this album. Matt categorises his music on his Myspace page as 'Healing & Easy Listening / Country / Showtunes' and cites Richard Harris's 60s and 70s recordings as inspiration. And this is a good guide to what you hear: warm, lush orchestral pop lovingly recorded as though from a bygone era but feeling utterly fresh. The prosaic kitchen-sink title really does not do justice to the ten track album.

So I'd urge you to add this to your collection. And if you need a further incentive see the above from the Drift Records newsletter:

As a thank you for supporting us these past 40 odd months we’ve dropped prices at the Drift Shop until the New Year. Enter the code ‘DRIFTMAS’ at the Drift shop and we’ll give you a very festive 50% off!!!

Go here now and do the right thing.

CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING
AS LONG AS THE ROAD

Matt Eaton

Finish Your Chips [BUY]