Matt Burnside Band - Three Peaks
We featured The Matt Burnside Band a while back, so when they got in touch about their new album, Three Peaks, I couldn’t resist the urge to have a gander at what they’d come up with!
Well, Well gets things off to a laid back and sunny start, opening with a soft acoustic line which leads you gently into things. There’s a real summer feel to things here, the soft acoustic rhythms mixing with the female vocals to form something which is impossible to resist, you want to kick back with your feet up whilst it plays out. Soothing from start to finish, this laid back introduction to the album sets the scene perfectly, giving you a chance to sit back and reflect on what the band are doing, what music they’re coming up with and how much of an impact it can have on your soul. So Low seems to once again match this feeling, although with a slight change to the ambience of proceedings. Opting for a banjo style effect to get things going before ushering in some deep vocals, there’s an almost theatrical feeling to things here. Coming as a bit of shock after the laid back approach of the initial moments of the album, this track may well offer a different approach, but it works.
The Train is the next step on proceedings, continuing to offer up melodic rhythms firmly rooted in softness and ushering back in the soothing female vocals. There’s a really catchy edge to this track which suggests it’s going to be another one to make sure you check out on the live scene, not being over bearing with the music but instead allowing the track to form naturally around you. The story progresses onwards and it’s impossible not to get involved with things, the vocals echoing around you as the soft backing music continues to simply keep things progressing. As we progress into Hometown Scene the swap once again comes around and we’re treated to more deep male vocal lines. The male vocal line here adds an almost country feel to things, keeping a sense of deep emotion running through things without becoming clichéd or over the top at any point. Personally, I think this track is one of the best on the album, just for the way it stands out amongst the others – but picking one favourite is going to be a hell of a task.
Closing the album with Sandcastles there’s one last demonstrating of how well a band can work when they work together, once again combining the different elements together to craft one final moment of sheer bliss. Soft, acoustic and thought provoking, this final track leaves no doubt in my mind that this is going to be an album to make sure you check out, it’s got everything you could possibly want.
What I really like about The Matt Burnside band is that they craft things how they want to, they don’t base their decisions on what everyone around them are doing and instead, carefully craft their own path through music, inviting you along for the ride. Whilst this might not be the heaviest or most complex album ever, what it is is an album which you can relax to, the sort of thing you want playing when you’re with friends or you’re sat in the garden – and personally – that’s enough for me!
Words: Dave Nicholls
Well, Well gets things off to a laid back and sunny start, opening with a soft acoustic line which leads you gently into things. There’s a real summer feel to things here, the soft acoustic rhythms mixing with the female vocals to form something which is impossible to resist, you want to kick back with your feet up whilst it plays out. Soothing from start to finish, this laid back introduction to the album sets the scene perfectly, giving you a chance to sit back and reflect on what the band are doing, what music they’re coming up with and how much of an impact it can have on your soul. So Low seems to once again match this feeling, although with a slight change to the ambience of proceedings. Opting for a banjo style effect to get things going before ushering in some deep vocals, there’s an almost theatrical feeling to things here. Coming as a bit of shock after the laid back approach of the initial moments of the album, this track may well offer a different approach, but it works.
The Train is the next step on proceedings, continuing to offer up melodic rhythms firmly rooted in softness and ushering back in the soothing female vocals. There’s a really catchy edge to this track which suggests it’s going to be another one to make sure you check out on the live scene, not being over bearing with the music but instead allowing the track to form naturally around you. The story progresses onwards and it’s impossible not to get involved with things, the vocals echoing around you as the soft backing music continues to simply keep things progressing. As we progress into Hometown Scene the swap once again comes around and we’re treated to more deep male vocal lines. The male vocal line here adds an almost country feel to things, keeping a sense of deep emotion running through things without becoming clichéd or over the top at any point. Personally, I think this track is one of the best on the album, just for the way it stands out amongst the others – but picking one favourite is going to be a hell of a task.
Closing the album with Sandcastles there’s one last demonstrating of how well a band can work when they work together, once again combining the different elements together to craft one final moment of sheer bliss. Soft, acoustic and thought provoking, this final track leaves no doubt in my mind that this is going to be an album to make sure you check out, it’s got everything you could possibly want.
What I really like about The Matt Burnside band is that they craft things how they want to, they don’t base their decisions on what everyone around them are doing and instead, carefully craft their own path through music, inviting you along for the ride. Whilst this might not be the heaviest or most complex album ever, what it is is an album which you can relax to, the sort of thing you want playing when you’re with friends or you’re sat in the garden – and personally – that’s enough for me!
Words: Dave Nicholls
The Matt Burnside Band
Another band sent through by Maria is The Matt Burnside Band, a 2 piece Yorkshire ‘Folk-Pop’ band who have just released their debut EP ‘The Fortified Place’. Having never featured a band like this before I thought it was only right to get out there and check out what was on offer from these guys keeping in mind my warning from Maria about her relationship with one of the backing vocalists…..I say no more!
Opening with Sandcastles you’re greeted by backing sound effects before the guitar and harmonica comes into existence. Catchy, laid back and ‘folky’, the track soon hooks you in and chills you out. The contrast here compared to the sort of music I listen to is actually quite relieving in a way, it’s like a moment of calm in a massive storm which is of course, from time to time very welcome. Catchy and melodic as the track progresses, different layers of vocals bounce around over the acoustic guitar – there’s no drums on the track yet you don’t notice they’re missing until you look for them. Telling a tale throughout, this track seems a perfect opening to an EP, it seems to demonstrate what the band can do without becoming pretentious about their abilities – good start! My only question on the track is the little pop sound in the chorus – not sure I get that one but it sort of works. That said, it’s such a minor component of the whole track that it’s really a question of whether it matters!
Title track The Fortified Place comes in at number 2, another track of acoustic guitars and soaring vocal lines tinged with folky twangs. Layering up the vocals on this track there’s a far more laid back and emotional approach to the track than in the previous one, the contrasting male and female vocals coming together to form a melee of harmonies over the guitar backing track, again fading out the fact that there’s no drums, again though, not needed! As the track fades out and Home comes into being, everything seems to kick back a gear and take on a well approached acoustic rock track approach. This is the sort of track you expect rock bands to produce as a ballad on their album to almost offer a relief from the other tracks. This one is once again emotional in the way it is written, using further layers of vocals to really make the track stand out. I would probably say this is my personal favourite track off of the album, and that’s largely down to the production on it. The track is raw meaning it’s not perfect, something which I like because you want to hear that it’s a band playing, not just a robot! This raw approach gives this track a further layer which I think a lot of people will connect with.
Final track Two Years closes the album on a more upbeat level, jumping in with vocals and guitars once again and questioning whether you’ll meet them down at the waters edge, I’m almost inclined to say I will! The track is once again catchy and really holds that folky edge up for consideration, it’s a laid back track which is definitely a folk track, but being someone who doesn’t listen to folk, I could listen to this quite happily. I suppose the best way to put it is that this is laid back music to kick back with a beer to – and this track fits that perfectly!
I didn’t know what to think about these guys when I saw they were a folk band, but at no point did I ever say that the site was going to be purely dedicated to rock, metal and punk, so it’s good to hear! I like the way the tracks are written and the way that different vocal lines are thrown out to really lift the tracks beyond a simple folk tag, this is music which I think a lot of people will enjoy if they give it a chance! Well worth a listen, so get on it!
To find out more about The Matt Burnside Band, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Also - check out the bands new video for Home below!
Opening with Sandcastles you’re greeted by backing sound effects before the guitar and harmonica comes into existence. Catchy, laid back and ‘folky’, the track soon hooks you in and chills you out. The contrast here compared to the sort of music I listen to is actually quite relieving in a way, it’s like a moment of calm in a massive storm which is of course, from time to time very welcome. Catchy and melodic as the track progresses, different layers of vocals bounce around over the acoustic guitar – there’s no drums on the track yet you don’t notice they’re missing until you look for them. Telling a tale throughout, this track seems a perfect opening to an EP, it seems to demonstrate what the band can do without becoming pretentious about their abilities – good start! My only question on the track is the little pop sound in the chorus – not sure I get that one but it sort of works. That said, it’s such a minor component of the whole track that it’s really a question of whether it matters!
Title track The Fortified Place comes in at number 2, another track of acoustic guitars and soaring vocal lines tinged with folky twangs. Layering up the vocals on this track there’s a far more laid back and emotional approach to the track than in the previous one, the contrasting male and female vocals coming together to form a melee of harmonies over the guitar backing track, again fading out the fact that there’s no drums, again though, not needed! As the track fades out and Home comes into being, everything seems to kick back a gear and take on a well approached acoustic rock track approach. This is the sort of track you expect rock bands to produce as a ballad on their album to almost offer a relief from the other tracks. This one is once again emotional in the way it is written, using further layers of vocals to really make the track stand out. I would probably say this is my personal favourite track off of the album, and that’s largely down to the production on it. The track is raw meaning it’s not perfect, something which I like because you want to hear that it’s a band playing, not just a robot! This raw approach gives this track a further layer which I think a lot of people will connect with.
Final track Two Years closes the album on a more upbeat level, jumping in with vocals and guitars once again and questioning whether you’ll meet them down at the waters edge, I’m almost inclined to say I will! The track is once again catchy and really holds that folky edge up for consideration, it’s a laid back track which is definitely a folk track, but being someone who doesn’t listen to folk, I could listen to this quite happily. I suppose the best way to put it is that this is laid back music to kick back with a beer to – and this track fits that perfectly!
I didn’t know what to think about these guys when I saw they were a folk band, but at no point did I ever say that the site was going to be purely dedicated to rock, metal and punk, so it’s good to hear! I like the way the tracks are written and the way that different vocal lines are thrown out to really lift the tracks beyond a simple folk tag, this is music which I think a lot of people will enjoy if they give it a chance! Well worth a listen, so get on it!
To find out more about The Matt Burnside Band, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Also - check out the bands new video for Home below!