Matt Suggs - Golden Days Before They End

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

---

Matt Suggs' solo lp reminds me of the great work achieved by the Australian band The Triffids. He was formerly a member of Butterglory and Sister Ray. On his own the evidently talented Mr Suggs gets his music across substantially better. Butterglory occasionally ran rancid with too much lo-fidelity recording, but as a solo entrepeneur Matt Suggs, however, is a crafted dairy farmer. He's changed the location and on the sleeve of "Golden Days Before They End" Mr Suggs stands next to an orange yard along a wide open road. The album was recorded in Kansas. "Golden Days Before They End" will please those who, like me, dearly miss David McComb's gentle, slightly nasal voice and singing. Joyful and melancholic beauties alternate on this orthodox country-pop album. The songs are short and to the point. The line-up is standard with a star role for Ranjit Arab on the piano, and on "Harold Had A Hunch" there's a great interaction between the piano and Mr Suggs on guitar. Matt Suggs immortalises himself on the song 'The Rambler vs. The Vulture/Devils Dance' where his songwriting grows to majestic proportions. The track starts off as a re-run of 'Egyptian Dance" by The Modern Lovers but then changes to superbly melancholic C&W twang. The country feel is never dominant and with echoes of The Triffids and Elliott Smith present on most tracks, this album is actually quite accessible. Throughout it has a excellent drift. Matt's singing is emotional, soft-toned but crystal clear. A remarkably mature album performed by a relative newcomer.

Track Listing:-

1 Skeleton Blues In B Flat Minor
2 Soon the Moon Will Glow
3 Eloise
4 Where's Your Patience Dear
5 The Rambler vs The Vulture/Devils Dance
6 Harold Had a Hunch
7 She Kept Time To The Teardrops
8 Farewell To A Tightrope Queen
9 Western Zephyr
10 Rambler's Ride
11 Walk With Him
12 Kisses

Label Links:-

http://www.mergerecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Merge-Records-88476979019/timeline/
https://twitter.com/mergerecords
https://www.youtube.com/user/mergerecords

Post A Comment

---

Comment

Name

your name

Location

ie London, UK

Submit

Check box to submit

Adam Coxon
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson

Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart

Malcolm Carter
Marie Hazelwood
Mark Rowland
Nick Dent-Robinson
Nicky Crewe
Nige Nudds
Philamonjaro
Richard Lewis
Shirley Procter
Spencer Robertshaw
Steev Burgess
Steve Kinrade

Steve Miles
Tommy Gunnarsson
Zena Grieg