Matt McClure is a producer and musician based in Seattle. He is also the songwriter and singer for The Figurants and Red Kitchen. Having produced for such acts as Tanya Tucker and LoneStar, McClure is a multi-platinum selling, 3-time Grammy-nominated, multi-#1 Producer/Recording Engineer/Mixer. Goodbye Felons is McClure’s first solo project. An album that features 12 tracks, with a run time of just under 35 minutes, Goodbye Felons showcases his vision as the artist for the first time.
Beginning the album on Burned East, we have a really indie, lo-fi intro to the album. Matt McClure uses these horn and vocal samples that create a really light, yet distinctly cloudy atmosphere. The track certainly features some classic Matt McClure elements with the heavy bassline and light guitar and percussions. It follows this theme even into the next track, Miles of Aisles. I really like how McClure affects his vocals. They have this airily haunting effect that creates a very The Fratellis-esque vibe. The drums seem to pick up on the lower frequencies, giving the track a bit of depth. However, Matt McClure seems to create a great amount of depth with his vocals alone.
By Proxy, Teeth has a similar vibe. The biggest difference is the distinct lack of airiness. The bassline kind of carries the chordal structure, although the rhythm guitar does the same thing whilst keeping rhythm along with the drums. There is a folksy charm to the music that makes me wish it was used in sitcoms like Community and How I Met Your Mother. The album follows this very unique theme by creating tracks that make me think about the early 2000’s Pop Culture shift. Tracks like Giving Up, Steadyman, The Round Room and Zeus the Sequel have this really wavy, fluid vibe. Matt McClure has the uncanny ability to craft a soundscape that transports you to an entirely different world altogether. Moreover, you find yourself listening to these songs with a strange sense of familiarity. It is almost as if you’ve heard McClure’s production sound on rather famous tracks.
Matt shows his experience and expertise in the best way possible. Additionally, it may be that his work experience has prepared him for this album. There’s this whole vibe that I can’t quite put my finger on, but it is so much more than just good. There’s a sprinkle of melancholia that acts like the little bit of salt you put in a cake when baking. It just adds a different kind of contrast to the, generally, positive output from the instrumental. Ending the album on Skin For Bones is, perhaps, one of the best ways to end an album. It is like you’ve been taken on this masterful journey through some bits of hope and negativity and then you come to the perfectly balanced track between good and bad.
I absolutely admire the skill that Matt McClure shows throughout the album. His tireless experience and hard work really show in every single track. There is not a single track on this album that you could listen to and dislike (subjective, I know). However, I truly think that anyone who enjoys indie music and lo-fi will really vibe with this entire album.
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I listen to and make silly noises while analysing why people behave the way they do.
