Matthew Fischer finds his sound
Matthew Fischer
Radio Sound
Panda Records
American singer-songwriter Matthew Fischer has been living in Thailand since 2008, and in that time has gained a strong following and reputation for his songwriting and live performances, both solo and with his band The Fishes.
Released by leading local indie label Panda Records, Radio Sound is Matthew's second solo album. The songs are mostly acoustic and in a country-folk style reminiscent of singer-songwriters like Neil Young. Along with Matthew's distinctive voice and acoustic guitar, there are some subtle electronic production touches to enhance the atmosphere of the songs. The album was mixed and mastered by Wannarit Pongprayoon from Stylish Nonsense, and it sounds great.
The opening title song, "Radio Sound," is a catchy track with a dreamy melody and some nice electronic effects mixed in with the acoustic guitar and piano. "Come Over Here" and "The Way Things Are" are timeless country songs with great lyrics, while tracks like "I Just Realized" and "Bad Things" have a quieter folk feel. The album ends on a high note with the sarcastic country rocker "Up in Wisconsin."
Every track on Radio Sound is strong, and the album manages to maintain a reflective, melancholy mood while providing enough experimental touches and interesting musical arrangements to keep things fresh for the listener. The lyrics are consistently great and poetic, and Matthew delivers them with honest, heartfelt feeling.
This album is highly recommended for fans of country-folk music and music fans generally who want to check out something unique from the diverse local underground scene. -- BE
Vocabulary
reminiscent (adj): reminding you of something
timeless (adj): not appearing to be affected by the passing of time or changes in fashion
reflective (adj): thinking deeply about things
melancholy (adj): sad or making you feel sadness
constantly (adv): all the time
