All's (Matthew) Good

Music is not only a source of enjoyment for your humble writer nor a source of inspiration but also a source of admiration. I do not categorize it as something as trite as "selling out." Whatever that means. Not many artists get the chance to sell out. Most stay under the radar and eventually fall away. Artists who stick with it, who keep doing their thing no matter that it does not seem to be reaching any kind of critical mass. Or that they barely keep hanging on. I admire that tenaciousness. Artists like Bill Mallonee and Grant-Lee Phillips and Mark Kozelek and Aimee Mann. I respect these artists because they know who they are and they make music reflective of that.

Matthew Good is another such artist. Maybe the prime example of them. He is from Canada. He used to front a band called The Matthew Good Band. After a few excellent records he dropped the Band from the act name and just went with his name. That is fine, his presence has been the driving force. His popularity in his native Canada has always far eclipsed that in the United States. He has won Junos, he has had videos on MuchMusic. That was where I first discovered him in the late 90s. "Hello Timebob" and "Giant" and "Strange Days" from his brilliant Beautiful Midnight were on regular rotation and were my first real exposure to him. He does not play the states too terribly often. My old roommate and I trekked to Pittsburg to see the MGB play one time. The other time I saw him was solo and caustic at Iota in Arlington, VA.

His latest album is called Arrows of Desires and it is classic sounding Matthew Good. Great guitar lines and sing along choruses. A lot of attitude and a lot of anger. It is a very anachronistic record, much like the muscle car that graces the album cover. The vibe is still 90s alternative. For someone who grew up on that you get no complaint from me. 

In his lyrics, in his interviews, in his writings, there is a lot of energy and a lot of anger. Anger at how the world works. Anger at the successful who have their success on the backs of others. Anger at the politicians who are ruining his country, who are ruining the world. Anger for the kids who can't go to school without fear of being shot down. Anger at how life has treated his characters, whether they are auto-biographical or not.  You might not agree with everything he says, you might not agree with anything he says, but you have to as a fellow human being appreciate the passion behind it.

He has always come across as a curmudgeon, as someone you might NOT want to have a beer with because you might just want him to shut up. I am not clever enough to analyze the lyrics. I think when anybody does that, no matter how clever they think they are, it is impossible not to project their own issues, problems, worries into them. After nearly 20 years Matthew Good is still doing his thing his way. He had a taste of success but it never happened. But he has been able to carve out a great little career of great songs put onto great records. Arrows of Desire deserved a space on my top 10. It is as good as anything he has ever done. And that says quite a bit if you know the rest of his discography.

Here's "Guns of Carolina." Give it a listen. You might be surprised.