Artist of the Day: Matt Morris

Here's a little cure for the Monday morning blues:

I've mentioned Matt Morris here before, but with the recent release of his debut LP, When Everything Breaks Open, I think his name is certainly worth bringing up again. Morris released his first EP a couple years ago, a collection of bare, acoustic tracks recorded, as the title says, backstage at Bonnarroo. But with his new full-length, Morris transitions into much more pop-oriented territory with five previously-released songs and nine new tunes presented with a full compliment of guitars, bass, drums, strings, and smoother production that he actually wears quite well. This diverse selection of tunes provides plenty of reasons to make this newcomer one that deserves our attention as 2010 gets on its way.

The most powerful weapon Morris holds in his arsenal is his high, smooth voice, which is equally effective on simple ballads and funky pop songs. He also shows genuine songwriting talent throughout the album, evident even on some of his more straightforward songs like "Money" or "Love," though, as is so often the case, he's best when he goes for the unusual. For example, the blend of strings and pounding drums on "The Un-American" gives the pointed social commentary an odd but somehow fitting backdrop, while the strange and soulful funk of "You Do it For Me" makes for a danceable, left-of-center pop tune. Hopefully, Morris will continue to build upon this knack for combining accessible hooks and more exploratory ideas as they form most of the record's best moments.

The album is a sprawling one, covering nearly seventy minutes with its 14 songs. But though listening to the entire thing at once may seem somewhat daunting, Morris makes good use of the time in showcasing different sides of his musical personality and the result is an enjoyably varied debut. When Everything Breaks Open is very much worth your time to check out as I suspect its title will prove to be descriptive of Morris' career soon.

Watch Matt Morris perform a stripped-down version of "The Un-American":



MySpace

New Artist: Matt Morris

While Matt Morris might seem new to the music scene, he's anything but. Already an accomplished songwriter, his tunes have been sung by pop stars like Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, and Christina Aguilera. Remember "Miss Independent"?

Now he's adding singer and musician to his resume with plans to release a full album next year. Meanwhile, he recently released an EP called Backstage At Bonnaroo And Other Acoustic Performances, an obviously titled collection of five acoustic tracks for fans of his stripped-down performances. Though Matt's songwriting credit points to a more mainstream approach to pop music, the EP showcases his versatility as an artist with little more than just his piano and guitar. "Money" brings to mind a more soulful Jack Johnson, "Bloodline" is a country-tinged folk ballad, and "The Un-American" sounds something like a Queen song with its bouncing piano and Morris' Mraz-meets-Mercury tenor voice.

Backstage At Banaroo is a fun introduction to Matt Morris as an exciting and talented new singer/songwriter. I'll be looking forward to hearing more about him in the upcoming months.

The EP is available now on iTunes; check out "Money" on his MySpace page.