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All About Jazz Click here to view this article on allaboutjazz.com "Layers of lyrical depth can be peeled from the breezy folk-pop of singer/songwriter Matthew Alexander." Layers of lyrical depth can be peeled from the breezy folk-pop of singer/songwriter Matthew Alexander. Just about every track on Daredevil Angel has a seemingly autobiographical or personal context. Although the songs are mostly catchy and carry a lightweight acoustic groove, Alexander stitches them together with confessional narratives. "New York City Backwoods" is an emotionally devastating recollection of his brother's suicide. "My brother died on your pavement/His body was bloody and cold/My brother died on your pavement/Never to grow old," Alexander sings plaintively, as brittle guitars march like a ghost train. Alexander has a breathy voice that conveys a melancholic ache, but hope as well. Basically, it's the sound of a middle-aged man who has experienced the highs and lows of everyday life—love lost and found, death and emptiness—and is moving on to bluer skies. Alexander is clever as well. In "God Must Be Lonely," Alexander wonders if the greater power that watches over us suffers from the isolation of being the only one of his kind. It's a thought-provoking concept, one that Alexander explores with respect and empathy. Daredevil Angel is largely a quiet album, but that doesn't mean it moves at a snail's pace. The blues-tinged "Didn't Happen That Way" unfolds quickly, gently rocking with a Dire Straits-ish swagger. The instrumental "New Town Rag" crackles with a shuffling beat, and "Joanna" seduces with Alexander's dreamiest guitar work. While coffeehouse folk is Alexander's main dish, there are country spices too, especially on "Chattanooga Boogie" and the cry-in-your-beer ballad, "When We Say Goodbye." Alexander has been writing and recording music for decades, and Daredevil Angel soars over his previous releases with its captivating campfire storytelling and timeless, evocative singing. Visit Matthew Alexander on the web. Track listing: Chattanooga Boogie; Daredevil Angel; Everybody's Foolin'; God Must Be Lonely; Didn't Happen That Way; Joanna; New Town Rag; New York City Backwoods; Where Will I Find You?; Shine; Nancy's On My Mind; One Day; Right Now; When We Say Goodbye; River City. Personnel: Matthew Alexander: lead and harmony vocals, rhythm and lead acoustic guitar; Fred Story: keyboards, bass, drums, percussion, harmonica, accordion, string arrangements. Style: Beyond Jazz |
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