Award-winning Canadian singer/acoustic guitarist Matt Andersen has some voice. Deep and resonate, it’s warm and draws you in ensuring you listen to what he has to sing about. He can bellow and roar out loud too, not often enough some might say, but there are definitely two sides of the coin being presented here.
Aside from Andersen’s voice, Honest Man is produced by Commissioner Gordon and he’s brought in some notable skilled musicians who’ve played with such diverse musical personalities as Toots & The Maytals and Amy Winehouse. Across the broad spectrum of the ten songs on offer the assorted percussion instrumentalists both layer and open the songs flow of arrangements while the brass sections at work often embellish Andersen’s lyrics.
Opening with ‘Break Away’ we are taken on a brisk country walk with a little ska guitar viewed from the sides. This mellow contemplation for better days ahead is deep in Van Morrison territory. It’s followed by the descriptive narrative ‘The Gift’ that in difference is musically laid back contrasting with title track ‘Honest Man’ that follows it. Here there’s a bluesy backbeat with some deep soul stirring in the horn arrangements, akin to the likes of Blood, Sweat & Tears and the Jess Roden Band, whereas some of the more hip production vocal interjections steer us towards the modern mainstream and because of his voice the currently popular Rag’N’Bone Man.
Some of the songs present have bedfellows, as if sharing the same storyline of characters. They are tales of love, avoiding or dealing with life’s changes, and that perennial road-dog story of moving on, that will forever make us think of a lone gunslinger roaming the wild west no matter how mundane the forced reality. ‘I’m Giving In’ is sparse, just piano and vocals, and reminiscent of early Jack Bruce’s solo reflective material, developing hymn like towards its conclusion. ‘Quiet Company’ has a pedal steel country feel and ‘Let’ Get Back’ flows naturally after it, more upbeat in its Americana vogue with Van Morrison felt again in its approach. ‘All The Way’ is slow laid back trucking and soul doo wop ballad ‘Last Surrender’ has a little Teddy Pendergrass in the vocals, while the horns are playfully and charming.
‘Who Are You Listening To?’ is fine travelling rock, a little on the laid back side of Bachman Turner Overdrive, Canned Heat or Savoy Brown while ‘One Good Song’ suitably brings the album to its conclusion, an understated country feel with some keen flute playing throughout.
On the evidence of Honest Man, Matt Andersen is a fine blues troubadour. The album overall may be a little too mellow in places for some but is certainly worth exploring. Due to tour the UK come May you can find the dates at RAMzine here.
