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Ghost Canyon

Title - 8 New Releases from Matt Smith!
Artist - Matt Smith

For those not in the know, Matt Smith, a Capital District-raised, Austin-based artist, has just released eight (8) new albums as well as ten digital releases from his catalog of recordings!

The albums - all curated from the 10 previous albums that have been released since the start of his solo career - will be available everywhere music is streamed or bought and hard copies of the albums are available through Austin’s Waterloo Records and at www.6stringranch.com.

When asked about why he was releasing them all now, Matt Smith says, "It’s an election year and there’s COVID. I had them all ready, and rather than dribble them out, why not put it all out at once? That way, I can get back to work on new material.”

Smith has been working on the flagship release, Being Human for four years. The album addresses broad themes of love, death and spirituality, along with timely issues such as immigration, narcissism and addiction.

Comprised of eight new tracks, it opens with the smooth hipsway of 'Sanctuary' which is backed up seamlessly by the rhythmic, one-two vibe of the title track, 'Being Human,' the tremendously funky 'Everybody Wanna Do the Don't,' and then the guitar rock of 'I Got the Girl.'

Up next is the ornately beautiful storytelling of 'How We Got to Here,' which is followed by the mid-tempo rocker 'Down in the Hole,' the free flowing positivity of 'God Is Watching over You,' with the album closing on the slow blues, last dance sway of 'I'd Do Anything for You.'

Parlor is a solo acoustic instrumental album recorded entirely on an 1890’s Thompson and Odell parlor guitar that has been handed down through four generations of the Smith family.

Opening with the Romani-French, jazz-esque beauty '29th St Rag,' that's backed by the gentler orchestrations of 'First Love,' the stunningly precise fretwork of 'Blue as Blue Can Be,' the foot-tappin', guitar-slappin' melodies of 'Spring In My Step,' and then comes one of my own personal favorites, the scholarly 'Daydreams.'

Next up is the slow, lowdown blues swagger of 'Blues in the Parlor' which is backed by the ornate, laid back and reflective 'After the Goldrush,' the wondrously articulated theme within 'Slacker,' and then the buoyant, and somewhat perky 'Dressing For Church.'

We then get yet another fantastic track in the form of the free-wheelin' majesty of 'Traveling Man,' which is backed by the exotic 'Desert Meditation,' with the album rounding out on playfully funky 'Isla Mujeres,' closing on the one-minute epilogue, 'That’s All Folks!'

Chop Shop – Live at Strange Brew was recorded at the legendary south Austin venue during the band’s weekly Sunday afternoon residency.

Chop Shop was Smith’s trio that used song format as a platform for creativity and improvisation, featuring Smith, along with Ed Friedland (bass) and Bryan Austin (drums).

Opening with the thunderous blues rock of 'Tough Guy / Tsurfin' the Tsunami,' that's followed by the blues funk of 'Trust Yourself,' the lowdown and staggered guitar work of 'Shelter from the Storm,' before bringing the levels down for the Down South ballad, 'Shades of Grey.'

A cover of folk rock musician Stephen Stills' 'Love The One Your With' is up next and is followed by the guitar melodies of 'Greenfield Grove,' a song written by Tony Joe White in 1967 and popularized by R&B vocalist Brook Benton in 1970, 'Rainy Night in Georgia,' coming to a close on the frenetic guitar work of 'Too Much / Smell My Mandolin,' a sloth-like rendition of James Brown's 'I Feel Good,' and, finally, a finger-snappin' jam in the form of 'Blueswalk.'

Matt Smith’s World – Live at the Saxon Pub features Smith, along with Austin pros Ernie Durawa (drums), David Webb (keyboards, vocals), Joe Morales (sax, flute, vocals), Aaron Lack (steel pan, percussion, vocals) and Mark Epstein (bass).

The album was recorded by Richard Vannoy during the band’s weekly residency at the iconic venue.

Yet another brilliant live album, this one opens with the Gospel blues of 'Struggle On' and backs that up with the rock guitar and Hammond exploitations of 'Walk the Talk,' the piano blues of 'Simple Song,' the mid-tempo hipsway of 'Dance with Me' and then the smooth guitar rock of 'Six Degrees of Separation.'

Next up is the seven minute long, rock and reggae-influenced jam 'Jazzhaus' which is followed by the their version of 'Love the One You're With,' the lowbrow, slopping Parisian blues of 'Junkie for Your Love,' rounding out with the low light, late night smoky club vibe of 'What Will I Do Without You,' closing on the frenetically magnificent, cultured guitar frenzy of 'Hot Club of Brooklyn.'

Matt Smith: 1988-2020, Vols. 1-4 round out the eight-album release.

Vol. 1 - Upstate NY: 1988-1994 opens with the frenzied 'Happy Jack,' the blues rock of 'Elevator of Love,' the lush AOR pop of 'Shine Your Light on Me,' the upbeat, guitar rush of 'Dancing' on the Blue Ball,' and then both the frenetic tinkling and guitar work of 'Lickety Pick' and the gentle storytelling of 'Reason to Be.'

The Springsteen-esque 'House of Fire' is next and is followed by the rocker 'Runnin' Just as Fast as I Can,' the ornate guitar blues of 'Falling in Love Again,' the funky 'Perfect World,' and then rounds out on the gut-wrenching honesty of 'Not That I'm Afraid of Love,' closing on the melodic AOR, and sax-imbued 'After All These Years.'

Vol. 2 - NYC: 1994-2005 opens with upbeat and perky outlook of 'Beauty and Light' which is backed by the old school feel of 'Big White Moon,' the searingly tender, Springsteen-esque 'Ballad of the Lower East Side,' the low slung blues of 'Shelter from the Storm' and then the low key acoustic guitar work of 'Holy Ground'

The appropriately titled 'Big Fun' is all sorts of just that, and is followed by the beautifully melodic 'Greenfield Grove,' the deep guitar funk of 'Ashes in the Wind,' the meaningful hopes and wishes of 'One Perfect Moment,' and then we get a stand out gem in the form of the upbeat, and always generous Louisiana funk n' roll that resides within 'Montreal.'

The guitar jam of 'Touch Guy' is then backed by the Hawaiian harmonies of 'Alo Moana,' with the album coming to a close on the ferociously fervent 'Djeet Yit?'

Vol. 3 - NYC/Austin: 2005-2011 opens with his version of 'A Rainy Night in Georgia,' and that's backed by the mid-tempo, percussion-imbued ballad 'Save Your Love for Me,' and the low slung, tender duo of 'Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying' and 'I Wish You Love.'

The sultry blues rock comes back for 'I Want to Love You' which is followed by the deeply sung and resonating 'Junkie for Your Love,' the acoustic storytelling of 'Jesus in Mexico,' the tempo turned up for 'Struggle On,' the album rounding out on the blues rock of 'Six Degrees of Separation,' and then closing on the mid-tempo AOR of 'How It's Gotta Be,' and the always amazing to hear freneticism of 'Hot Club of Brooklyn.'

The very last album of the eight (8) just released, Vol. 4 - Austin: 2011-2020 opens with the thunderous blues rock of live tracks 'Trust Yourself,' his rendition of 'Love the One You're With,' and then the slow 'n' easy 'Shades of Grey.'

Next up we get some acoustic renderings, firstly in the form of the light and breezy 'Daydreams,' the ornately cultured 'First Love,' the playful, yet always dedicated guitar work of 'Isla Mujeres,' and then we the frenetically sculptured 'Traveling Man.'

This album then rounds out with a trio of live tracks, the first being the rocker 'Simple Song,' the funky blues of 'Walk the Talk,' the album coming to a close on the romantically free flowing 'Dance with Me.'

Other Matt Smith albums that have been re-released digitally are:

Matt Smith Band / Whisper to a Scream / Tanqueray Rocks: Live at The Ritz / Delta Radio / Black and White / Big Fun / Free Beer and Chicken / What I Feel for You / Chop Shop / and Matt Smith’s World.

Currently the co-owner of 6-String Ranch studios in Austin, Smith has produced and engineered over 100 commercially-released albums, television commercials and film soundtracks.

As a session musician, he has played multiple instruments for many artists in New York and Austin. He is accomplished on a wide range of stringed instruments including acoustic, electric, and baritone guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, dobro, sitar, Mohan vina, steel guitar, ukulele, saz, cumbus, charango and tiple.

As a musician, teacher, producer and author, Smith has dedicated himself to the art and craft of making music for over 30 years.

He was a senior music instructor for the National Guitar Workshop, leading workshops in Connecticut, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Austin, Nashville, Florida, Seattle, Oakland, the United Kingdom and Germany.

It’s not only difficult to find someone with Smith’s breadth of experience, but equally rare to find someone who shares his knowledge so generously with colleagues.

www.6stringranch.com

www.waterloorecords.com

www.mattsmithsworld.net

Matt Smith @ Facebook

Official CD/Digital Purchase Links





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