 | | |  | Label:
Glitterhouse Records
VÖ: 03.03.2008
Format: CD
 |  | € 9,95 |
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also available
| | LP + 7" - € 16,75 |
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Scott Matthew
Scott Matthew
Unser Scott Matthew wird ohne s am Ende geschrieben, wuchs in Australien auf und lebt seit 2000 in New York. Nach dem üblichen Bandgeplänkel entschloss er sich, sich mit minimaler Begleitung auf die Bühne zu stellen, mit einer Akustikgitarre oder einem Piano.
Nachdem er die japanische Animationsserie Ghost in the Shell mit seiner Stimme veredelte und für den gefeierten Film Shortbus die Musik schrieb, machte er sich an sein Solodebüt. Diese simpel "Scott Matthew" betitelte Album lässt viel Raum für Scott's unbeschreibliche Stimme. Seine Songs erscheinen einfach und leicht. Instrumente und Stilmittel setzt Scott mit seinem Produzenten Mike Skinner mit spielerischer Unverkrampftheit und Eleganz zusammen, wie zufällig scheinen die Songs dadurch aus Zeit und Raum gefallen. Klassische Streicherarrangements in "Balladear", "Habit" oder im tief ergreifenden "Abandoned" befeuern Stimmungen, klagende Ukulelen unterstützen in minimalistischen Titeln wie "Little Bird" und "Upside Down" diese ungewöhnliche, gefühlvolle und intensive Stimme. Seine Musik ist einfach, kraftvoll, oft traurig. Sie ist pur, aber nicht spröde.
Er ist einer dieser ganz wenigen Musiker, die... wie soll ich das beschreiben... sich durch ihre Musik entblättern, sich öffentlich sezieren, ihren Kern freilegen, und das, ohne je in Larmoyanz zu verfallen.
Er macht Leid zu Lied, das schon, nenn' es meinetwegen melancholisch, nenn' es introspektiv oder dem Leben abgetrotzt - aber rührselig ist es nicht. Wenn seine Stimme weint, so ist er nicht weinerlich. Wenn seine Lieder klagen, so ist er nicht selbstmitleidig. Er entkleidet sein Inneres, das ist alles.
Eine ganz besonders Singer/Songwriter Platte.
“Matthews griffige und theatralische Songs erinnern zuweilen an den frühen David Bowie. Die Welt ist ein düsterer Ort, in den Songs von Scott Matthew allerdings beginnt diese Düsternis verführerisch zu schillern.” (Rolling Stone)
“Scott Matthew mag es kammermusikalisch, belässt es oft bei dezenten Pianoarrangements, zückt trotz Punkbandvergangenheit gerne die Ukulele und hat eine dermaßen samtweiche Stimme, dass man sich die Tränen kaum und die Gänsepocken gar nicht verkneifen kann – aber weinerlich geht anders. Das hier ist schlichtweg ergreifend... Wer noch ein Herz und ein paar Songwriter im Plattenregal hat, kommt an diesem
Glitterhouse-Release schwerlich vorbei.“ (Intro)
“Der umjubelte Höhepunkt der Bavarian Open” (Süddeutsche Zeitung)
"Wäre Jeff Buckely noch unter den Lebenden, er würde sich vermutlich in den Songs von Scott Matthew wieder erkennen. Denn ähnlich wie sein Vorbild tänzelt der junge Australier an der Schwelle zum Ätherischen" (Tip Berlin)
"Dieser Man hat Charisma. ... längst auf einer Stufe mit Anthony (and the Johnsons) und Rufus Wainwright." (Adam)
Scott Matthew is one of the very few musicians who — well, how may we say this — strips with his music, who dissects himself to reveal his very innards with great parsimony.
His voice cries without whining. His songs accuse without soliciting pity. Scott Matthew’s music has truth and eigency. And he forms this into songs that are purely magnetic, that expose an honest beauty and sorrow, allowing listeners to take and feel part of the experience.
Scott Matthew was born in Queensland, Australia. He played in several short-lived bands, broke off his studies at university and moved to Sydney where founded the punk-rock band Nicotine. At that time he also started staging solo with an acoustic set where he discovered his passion for ballades. In 1997, on the search for new horizons, he followed a good friend to Brooklyn, New York.
In New York, in 2002, Scott Matthew collaborated with former Morrissey drummer Spencer Cobrin and the two of them released an E.P. under the name Elva Snow, whereby Scott delivered lyrics and vocals. One of Scott Matthew’s early successes came with the soundtracks "Lithium Flower" and "Beauty Is Within Us" for the Japanese animation-serial Ghost in the Shell, as well as with the title song “Is It Real?”, which was also composed by Yoko Kanno for the animation-serial Cowboy Bebop. So far Scott has won the most attention through his work on the John Cameron Mitchell (of Hedwig & the Angry Inch) film Shortbus (2006). Scott wrote the theme song, “In the End,” (staged during the film in a long version by
Tony-nominated performer Justin Bond), in addition to the songs "Little Bird," "Surgery" and "Upside Down" performed in the film by Scott and featured on the soundtrack. For his debut album, in addition to seven original tracks, Scott arranged and recorded new versions of the songs used in Shortbus.
Scott Matthew describes himself as a "quiet noise-maker". And in our opinion this statement betrays nothing about his music. Instead, it tends to explicate how he sees himself as a musician and how he could be understood as a person. Scott Matthew is a remarkably gifted singer/songwriter. His songs are easy and unfussy. Together with his producer Mike Skinner (not of The Streets) he arranges the instruments and stylistic devices with such a lightness
and elegance, it seems as though the songs are falling accidentally through space and time. Classical string arrangements in "Balladear," "Habit" and "Abandoned" are juxtaposed with minimalist ensembles like "Little Bird" and "Upside Down" where a ukulele supports Scott Matthew’s exceptional, soulful voice. The intensity of his singing is tangible. And his humble yet striking stage presence never fails to underline the accessibility of his music.
A myspace fan says: "I wish I knew you! Then I could sit next to you when you sing!" ever has experienced Scott live on stage is oddly touched, perhaps even confused. His presence underlines the disarming. Countless live gigs in clubs, galleries and in sometimes very bizarre and wondrous venues Scott has become a mature artist who is able to give an ease to the evening with two or three words between the songs.
Another myspace friend notices: Scott`s music has "the right quantities of sadness, bitterness and sweetness".
His music is like he is as a person. He`s not interested at all in what other people construe into his appearance. Scott is as hip as only a musician from Brooklyn can be, down to earth and unpretentious as expected from an Australian. Is his beard is a political statement or just a trend? Is his golden bracelet telling a long story or is it just a naccidental accessory - Scott Matthew is not calculated. He touches people. A quiet noise maker!
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