Album Review: Matt Mays & El Torpedo – Terminal Romance
My favorite song on the album is the title track called “Terminal Romance”, about a guy wandering the streets of New York alone trying to reconcile with the past. He seems disillusioned with love and relationships (It should be noted that in the final song “Long Since Gone”, he doesn’t miss his girl, he misses his band), and he seems to be ready to just give up on things because as he says, “heartbreaks are un-curable”. The part I love most is the climax of the song, where Mays starts singing in an almost gospel manner, repeating, “She sang rock and roll, with the Devil”. While I have no idea what it means, it is sure fun and easy to sing along with (for over a minute).
This is only Matt May’s second album with El Torpedo, and I can only hope for more. Sadly, since he’s on the East Coast of Canada, the chances of seeing him and his band live are not very good.
It’s too bad you probably don’t know who Matt Mays is. He’s a Canadian rocker who fronts a band called “El Torpedo”, who carry the torch of the likes of Tom Petty, Neil Young, and now apparently Thin Lizzy.
I first found Matt Mays about two years ago on Pandora (Internet radio station), and I haven’t stopped listening since. I fell for his songs immediately because the music he makes is heavily influenced by so many rock genre’s, including folk rock, classic rock, glam rock, and it’s all done in a modern alternative rock way. Because of this concoction of inspirations, and his own guitar playing/vocal styles, we get loud distorted guitars, folky acoustic guitars, rock and roll solo’s, the Killers style orchestrations, and even delicate and thoughtful songs. Even with a variance in style throughout his albums, there is an overbearing style that carries each song to the next.
Last week, Matt Mays released a new album called “Terminal Romance”, which I didn’t think I would like so much, because on first preview, it was a little too “in your face” rock for me (hey, I’ve been listening to a lot of slower/lighter music for the past few months). But after a listen or two, I have really began to dig my heels into this album and get behind it. This is a full-on rock album. There are about three songs that sound like they could have come off of an early 80’s Thin Lizzy album, which is very impressive. I haven’t heard a rock song like this since the last Lizzy album I bought. Two songs sound like they could come off of a Tom Petty album, and two that are straight out of the Ramones era punk. The final song, sounds like a it was made by Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and the Allman Brothers had they all been California bred bands. This is seriously good stuff.
Last week, Matt Mays released a new album called “Terminal Romance”, which I didn’t think I would like so much, because on first preview, it was a little too “in your face” rock for me (hey, I’ve been listening to a lot of slower/lighter music for the past few months). But after a listen or two, I have really began to dig my heels into this album and get behind it. This is a full-on rock album. There are about three songs that sound like they could have come off of an early 80’s Thin Lizzy album, which is very impressive. I haven’t heard a rock song like this since the last Lizzy album I bought. Two songs sound like they could come off of a Tom Petty album, and two that are straight out of the Ramones era punk. The final song, sounds like a it was made by Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and the Allman Brothers had they all been California bred bands. This is seriously good stuff.
My favorite song on the album is the title track called “Terminal Romance”, about a guy wandering the streets of New York alone trying to reconcile with the past. He seems disillusioned with love and relationships (It should be noted that in the final song “Long Since Gone”, he doesn’t miss his girl, he misses his band), and he seems to be ready to just give up on things because as he says, “heartbreaks are un-curable”. The part I love most is the climax of the song, where Mays starts singing in an almost gospel manner, repeating, “She sang rock and roll, with the Devil”. While I have no idea what it means, it is sure fun and easy to sing along with (for over a minute).
This is only Matt May’s second album with El Torpedo, and I can only hope for more. Sadly, since he’s on the East Coast of Canada, the chances of seeing him and his band live are not very good.
2 comments:
You know, after just listening to the song through once, they already sounded familiar. Like putting on your favorite pair of jeans, the song just sort was a good fit. Then after a few more rotations, I can see why you like them. I'll have to share this band with Chris.
Good find!
I just happened to find this when I googled to find out something about the new record and it was nice to read the opinion of someone so far off in the world who stumbled upon Matt by accident...I'm from his hometown out east and I can tell you, it's well worth seeing a show if you get the chance. He's toured the US before, and I'm sure he will again. The last time I saw him it was in a bar with about 60 people in a farming town in Alberta....he played just as hard and just as good as if he had the Marquee packed with hundreds and hundreds of people back home in Halifax. The first El Torpedo record is one of the great Canadian road-rock classics, and just in case you don't know, he had a much more folky, rootsy debut under his own name back in '02 or so.
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