That’s right. Vinyl is back and it’s classicly refreshing. Local musician, Matt McCloskey, is breaking (releasing) a record and possibly setting a trend. His hot off the recording studio press CD, oh wait, I mean, album, Let it Burn, will be released this Friday, September 3rd at The Belmont at 9 PM. He is such a retro rockstar that his music is only available on vinyl or digitally (downloadable online). Not only does this help us reminisce about the golden days of records spinning and radiating tunes from the corner of a 70’s living room, it doesn’t discount the “I-want-it-now” tendencies that have arisen from the ubiquitous internet that actually does allow us eager listeners to have Matt’s music at our fingertips without waiting impatiently for the mail to arrive. Not to mention his music-sharing methods are eco-friendly, especially since people tend to keep records for ever and ever…they must have known vinyl would be making a come-back.
Now onto the music. I was privileged to hear Matt for the first time at my blog’s 1st birthday party in an unpredictable rain-induced showcase in April and loved it! I had only heard a few of his tunes, so hearing his new album in its entirety has opened me up to his entire musical world. His tunes are laid-back, but heartfelt, with a twist of Texas. The first thing I thought when I heard his latest work of audible art was “soundtrack”. I thought to myself, this could serve as a “soundtrack of our lives”. Just as music accompanies scenes in a movie to enhance them, I feel that Matt’s tunes are more personal, more integrated into the thoughts and feelings we experience every day, versus an often removed radio single. With music that has hints of Tom Petty, Matt Nathanson, and Keith Urban, Matt’s voice is real, and the sounds he produces make me want to roll the windows down, take a long drive into the sunset, and live a life-like movie scene that is enhanced because Matt is with me.
Check him out this Friday, or hear the latest single he has released to the public, “Ride Out the Fire”, for a taste of Matt McCloskey. If you like what you hear, maybe you’ll revert back to the 70’s for a short while or escape from your worries for about 4 minutes and 3 seconds.
8 thoughts on “Breaking a Record”
Marcos August 31, 2010 at 8:31 am
If an artist wants to be “retro-hip” that’s ok with me, but they can’t go claiming that vinyl “sounds better” because it doesn’t. People who say that vinyl sounds better fall in the same camp that claims Obama is not American or a Muslim, the Moon landing was staged, vaccination causes autism, there is no climate change, and the Earth is flat: the fact that they’d like to believe it does not make it a fact.
TheRebecca August 31, 2010 at 8:35 am
So animated you are this morning, Marcos. I haven’t heard the digital and vinyl versions side by side, so I can’t confirm or deny. But, I do think it’s pretty cool to go back to the classic music medium in a day where people often don’t find the time to sit and purely listen to an album in its entirety without multitasking.
Somelia August 31, 2010 at 9:36 am
The only people that can hear the difference are real musicians, vinyl is better and sounds better.
Kayle McCloskey August 31, 2010 at 9:58 am
Oh Rebecca! I loved what you wrote. It made me want to get in my car right now, roll the windows down and put the record on! Are we going to be seeing you on Friday night? 🙂
Matt McCloskey August 31, 2010 at 10:56 am
Marcos – Digital is obviously cleaner than Vinyl, and cleaner is always an improvement. But to me it’s not about clarity, It’s about fidelity. Just like digital lacks the dirty pops and scratches of vinyl, it also lacks the life & body of the performance that is not always immediately noticeable.
The difference struck me hardest when I bought “Cold Roses” by Ryan Adams on vinyl a few years ago. It’s one of my favorite albums, and I had the CD for a few years already, and had listened hundreds of times. When I played the vinyl, I felt like I was hearing it for the first time. I felt like I heard some attitude or expression in his vocals that surely wasn’t there before, and some edge & depth in the electric guitar tones that I had somehow missed. When I went back to listen on CD again, sure enough it was the same recording – only cleaner, and somehow less. The difference was shocking – and I felt gipped. How many other records have I loved for years and never really heard completely – because of a format?
That experience has proven true to me time and time again with records that I love – and with my new album. I can tell you (because I created it) – you will hear my new recording closest to it’s truest form on Vinyl, not on digital.
I do think digital sounds better in most all measurable ways, but Vinyl represents the performance better – and to me that is the quality that matters. I value a musicians tone because of how he plays it – the feel, the expression, the unquantifiable things. And those things – the magic things – somehow get preserved better in an analog format.
As you point out, it is certainly a “hipster” trend to make a statement with no argument – and I’m equally annoyed by it. So – I think I will write a longer piece on all the reasons why I really do believe Vinyl “sounds better”.
Jerome August 31, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Hi Marcus, That fact of the matter is nobody really cares if it is OK with you. Sorry if that bruised your ego. Also, you saying vinyl doesn’t sound better is no more or less true than saying it does sound better. It only points out that you are missing the whole point. What does “better” mean? What it means to you and what it means to another may be completely different.
I would guess you haven’t even bought the record (perhaps I’m wrong about this) so essentially your opinion on the matter could be considered useless conjecture. If you in fact did buy the record and listened to it and decided you liked the digital version “better” that is only your opinion. It doesn’t mean it sounds better, it only means it sounds different to you.
TheRebecca August 31, 2010 at 5:46 pm
My intention wasn’t to stir the pot, but rather to give credit to Matt, a talented local artist and his latest work of art, which is available in two formats, both classic and modern. Congrats, Matt, and thank you all for stopping by!
Darkhorse September 2, 2010 at 8:25 pm
I’ve listened to “Let It Burn” on vinyl.. Austin had better get on board with this record because it is a Triumph! If you don’t connect with this artist in “Auuuustin”… I herby strip you of any credit in the real music world; you might as well be the could’ve been younger almost as good brother of Nashville!