Belgium says I’m an extraordinary boy: album reviews & interview
Album review by The Viking in The Wilderness above – archived here, as it’s on facebook and therefore subject to be buried in the newsfeed.
Elsewhere in Europe, I’m “scandalously ignored” – Music in Belgium says so. (And who am I to argue?) A very nice review of the album in French.
Whisperin & Hollerin reckons “he keeps on churning ‘em out, and amazingly, without any dip in quality” – yes, well… when I have my next nervous breakdown that’ll be why. There are worse ways to spend a life, of course.
V13 kindly asked me to write about the 8 albums that changed my life – see me speak my brains here.
More words to follow, hopefully.
the album – track by track & review
Did a track by track on the new album for Sonic Shocks – read it here.
Goes into a bit of detail about how it was recorded during lockdown, what the songs are about, the whole point of the thing… Hopefully an amusing read without giving too much away (it’s a fine line, but I don’t like to hand everything out on a plate. Mystery, you know). See what you think.
They also a put up review – here – “a powerful collection of tracks”. As always, you can hear them by hitting the Bandcamp player just to yr right there…
“Envy The Birds” out 26 Mar ’21
Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon
The 3rd and final single from my forthcoming album To The Outer World releases today… It’s a longer track (5mins, which is a lot for a guitar band), goes to some interesting places without losing the groove.
Did an interview recently with Muso Muso magazine – read it here. I don’t normally swear that much – answering questions about my music, anyway – but seeing it out there in someone else’s font, it seems a bit excessive. Didn’t register it at the time, for whatever reason – my mood was fine, pulse and brainwaves normal… maybe it just looks worse to me, I dunno. See what you think.
EDIT: Just to add, Graham Duff’s Mixtape on Slack City for 24 March played “A Friend From Far Away” – listen to the whole show here.
Hectic Night review
As previously mentioned, Hectic Night (out now on Bandcamp) is a free download live LP we recorded in January, live in the studio. I was saving it for a rainy day, and this has to be the rainiest year…
Plugged in Brighton have given it a track-by-track review, link here – “a troubled troubadour running in and out of dark alleyways being chased by god knows what seeking who knows what.”
Read and see if the music matches the words… I reckon so, but then I’m biased.
“The Seizure” – 1st review & interview
A first look at The Seizure from The Ring Master Review: “one of the most unique and honest artists around” – wow, I’ll take it!
The band gets singled out too, which is cool – “The bass of Stephen Parker again proves a dark invitation to get hooked up on; it’s tempting as brooding as it is catchy against the rhythmic swing of drummer Barney Guy”…
And here’s the conclusion: “In our experience every outing with Matt Finucane has proven an absorbing and rousing adventure in some rich level of degree but The Seizure might just be his finest proposition yet; in fact no question, it is.”
…The write-up goes into more detail about each track, but I think it’s safe to say it went over well, which is always a good feeling. Check it out, see if it tingles yr fancy.
EDITED TO ADD:
There’s also an interview: embracing the discord, here – which goes into more detail about the band, what’s behind the EP, and what happens next. As I say, you have to meet me halfway… but it’s always good when someone takes the time to listen and engage; and for what it’s worth, this is the clearest account yet.
Perilous Seat vid exclusive
The video of Perilous Seat can be seen exclusively via Pure Grain Audio, here. It’s a DIY epic of indifferent miming, lurid colours and general dislocation – every penny’s up there on the screen. Hope you enjoy… If not, you can claim back the 3min 47sec of yr life from me at a gig, with this handy token:
gather round, for I must cry my wares
…Yes.
I fucking hate January (and February, but that’s another story). Only remedy’s work – been rehearsing with the band for an upcoming gig and some recording next month, and finalising my next release… due out early May, probably.
Meanwhile, the Disquiet EP’s bagged some more good ink: a very nice one in French from Music In Belgium, and two from Whisperin’ and Hollerin’ (extract above) and Sonic Shocks.
More news on the gig and other doings – it occurs to me there’s not a lot of stuff online with the band, which we’ll have to do something about – as and when, as ever.
Interview & front cover, Plugged In Brighton
There I am on the cover of Plugged In Brighton 2… And here, with their kind permission, is the interview from the same issue:
It was lovely to be asked, and they had some kind words about Ugly Scene too:
“the songs are art rock without being limp and inhabit a weird version of our world […] Matt is raging against whatever is there” … among other things.
There’s good info on local bands in there, so pick up a copy if you live in this hipster gulag – or check their facebook page (link above) and mixcloud, if not.
song of the day @ This Is Not A Drill
A feature on the EP from This Is Not A Drill
“…like with any good outsider, the more you listen to the songs, the more natural they become, and soon those quirks become hooks”
A write-up for Threaten Me With Your Love, to go with this one from withguitars.
