Matthew Alexander

                 Midnight Dream Station by Matthew Alexander 

In Midnight Dream Station, singer-songwriter Matthew Alexander is tapping into something  unique, authentic and universal. The record is fresh and alive with soaring vocals, playful interplay between Alexander’s piano and guitar, and songs that engage emotionally. Throw in some skillful drums and electric bass offered by jazz musicians Al Sergev IV and Ron Brendle, as well as contemporary co-production and engineering from Chris Green, and you have music that makes you reflect on life’s mysteries and lifts your spirits during these uncertain times. 

As for the title, Alexander states the following: “I was in Jungian analysis in my twenties which gave me great respect for the brilliance and creative potential of nightly dreams. I keep a dream journal every day and marvel at the depth of self-insight that can be found by interpreting my dreams. And in many ways, as a romantic and optimist, I do a lot of daydreaming as well.  Dreams keep us alive and engaged”, Alexander states. 

In contrast to his previous seven albums, Midnight Dream Station is built around the acoustic piano. “The studio at which I recorded (Charlotte-based Grammy and Dove award winning studio, GAT3) has the most beautiful Yamaha Grand Piano I have ever played. Once I touched the keys, the record began its transformation from a guitar oriented effort to more piano based.” 

Alexander, an award-winning musician whose songs have been played on radio stations throughout the world, calls the record “acoustic pop folk” in the tradition of Michael Kiwanuka, Labi Siffre and David Grey. “I am proudest of the way the record works as a whole album. The ‘LP experience’ has all but disappeared in today’s streaming culture. I put tremendous effort into choosing the best songs for this record and sequencing them for maximum impact.” 

Alexander has been a singer-songwriter since he was 16. Twelve of his first compositions were published by New York based Bornwin Music and sent to groups such as the Turtles. Songs from his subsequent 7 CDs have been played on radio stations throughout the world. He has opened for Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel “back in the day”, jammed with Carly Simon and Bonnie Raitt, studied with Paul Simon and is known for his warm vocals, intricate finger picking and captivating songwriting as well as his engaging storytelling during his live shows. Alexander’s rendition of the Gordon Lightfoot classic “Steel Rail Blues” hit Number 3 on the Folk Charts in 2020. But the pandemic forced him to slow down and sharpen his focus on his craft. 

“While in quarantine, I had the opportunity to dig deeply into my music and channel my fears of “non-being” into creating a body of work that I felt would endure. I started doing vocal exercises every day, rehearsing six hours at a time and challenging myself to write songs that were more universal and complex lyrically. Whereas my previous output of songs had been one every year or two, all of a sudden I was flooded with ideas culminating in 30 new songs being written in the space of six months.” 

Many of these tunes have made their way onto Midnight Dream Station Standout songs such as “An Apolitical Man”, “A Mourning Song”, “Moonshine” and “On A Perfect Day” address pressing issues such as alienation, loss and the value of human connection. This is a CD which joins others by folk-oriented artists such as Haim, Sufja Stevens and Fleet Foxes as providing a compelling testament to the world-wide struggles experienced during the pandemic.