A few months back my wife Amy actually interviewed Matt Pryor when she was writing for that other site she no longer writes for. Anyhow, Matt made a comment that by the end of it all, he’ll have recorded music that any member of your family would appreciate. The Terrible Twos (for kids), The Get Up Kids (for the angsty heartbroken teens), The New Amsterdams (for the folky college hipsters), and now his solo material perfect for those of us “old folks” that just need some good tunes to unwind to after a hard day at the office or relax with on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
Matt’s first solo album Confidence Man finds him using roughly the same simple folk palette of his work with The New Amsterdams and exploring generally similar territory but with somewhat different results. The biggest difference I can hear on Confidence Man is just how at ease Pryor sounds on this recording. He isn’t straining and isn’t pining for anything, instead, he sounds happy, satisfied, and (well) confident. If I was making a comparison (as I’m often prone to do) I’d compare this to the recent work of Rocky Votolato. Like Makers with less country influences, fewer rough edges, and less drinking. Another comparison I have found myself thinking about when listening to Confidence Man is with Pryor’s other active project, his kids music band The Terrible Twos. The music has the same relaxed and easy feel that the last Terrible Twos record without the goofy and lighthearted lyrics for children.
This isn’t music that is fancy, sexy, or any other adjective that might get all the hipster kids to listen to it. That’s not really who Matt Pryor is. He is a guy who has been there, done that, and is comfortable where and who he is right now. He is (at the risk of sounding totally dopey and cheesy) the confidence man.
MP3 | Matt Pryor – A Totally New Year Confidence Man
MP3 | Matt Pryor – Who Do You Think You Are Confidence Man
Wow! Two very good songs. Reminded me of Buffalo Tom’s quieter side.
[...] 2 mp3s from our friends at Can You See the Sunset who reviewed the album and posted a few tracks here. Tell your friends!SubscribeBlinklistBloglinesDiggdel.icio.usFacebookMa.gnoliaStumbleUponTechnorati [...]