Matt Williams – ‘Let’s Work it Out’
By Dickson Mercer – News Post Staff – dmercer@fredericknewspost.com
“Quirky, funky pop with an ear for the Beatles, Al Green, Talking Heads and Randy Newman.” If that doesn’t pique your interest, I’m not sure what will.
These influences ring loud and clear in Matt Williams’ 2004 album “Let’s Work it Out,” from the 70’s funkadelic and comic “GHITP,” the party popping “I Wanna See Rikki Get Down,” to the folky and spare “Money I’ve Spent,” which reminds me of a track off the Phish album, “Billy Breathes.”
There’s the sweet and tender “Come Closer Norma,” the apparent fusion of John Lennon and Frank Sinatra in “Thinking of You,” and the horn driven, soul-ridden “Let’s Work it Out.”
One writer states, “If it were possible for Hank Williams and Harry Nilsson to have a kid it would sound like Matt Williams.” That’s right on. And if this reporter were writing in terms of appearance, not vocals, he or she could just as easily insert Beck and Napoleon Dynamite.
Beck, as it happens, might appreciate Williams’ style – his fresh lyrics or the far-out additives, which accentuate “Goodbye, Norman Vincent Peale.”
Making “Let’s Work it Out” involved a year-long process of stacking arrangements. Williams and co-producer Scott Olivier made it in pieces, cutting bass and drums, followed by guitar and piano, striving for an original personality and sound. At one point, they scratched everything and started over.
“It taught me to never do an album like that again,” Williams said. Next time, if he has his wish, Williams will simply “gather everyone in a room and play.” Not a bad idea, it seems, considering the effort featured musicians who have played with Aretha Franklin, James Brown, the Allman Brothers, and Burning Spear.
When he arrives at Westside Café on Saturday night, however, Williams will be without the magic of the studio, and without the funky group he plays with in Austin, TX.
“It’s just me and the guitar,” he said. “I can’t afford to bring a band on the road. I can barely afford myself.”
Regardless of the economic reality of the situation, Williams appears to have already moved past his debut effort. “I’m only playing four or five songs off the album… They’re already two years old,” he said.
After all, Williams writes anywhere from 60 to 70 songs each year – some good, some bad. “I like to play mostly new material…to try to play new songs and work them out,” mining for gems.
Williams has been on the road now for about a year, touring from his home state of South Carolina to his new home in Austin, with stops at Eddies Attic in Atlanta (where he recently won “an open mic shootout”) and the Bluebird Café in Nashville. He has performed at Westside in a song swap and showcase, never as a headliner.
Georgetown, S.C., where Williams grew up, didn’t offer much live music to latch onto. But Williams found plenty of inspiration in his parent’s record collection. He remembers seeing them dance to Motown and Beach records.
He taught himself guitar at 18, years after his brother began. Williams was “the sports guy,” and “it was sort of a competitive thing,” he explained. During his senior year of high school, however, Williams got into Neil Young, Bob Dylan and the Beatles. He bought a Beatles chord book, and began teaching himself songs.
Soon he was playing with his brother. Both were into the Jayhawks and Wilco and alt-country. Irene’s Kitchen played for four years, all over the state.
“There was no one doing that in South Carolina,” Williams said. The state mainly catered to jambands like Widespread Panic or “frat rock,” he added. Not a blend of bluegrass, country and Motown.
After Irene’s Kitchen disbanded, and after graduating from University of South Carolina, Williams moved to Austin, which offered a “rich, musical history,” not to mention “a nurturing place for writers.”
The Austin music scene offers just about everything, including indie, alt-country, punk, jazz, and a “Texas songwriting scene,” Williams said.
Outside of playing clubs in Austin and beyond, Williams spent a year as the resident artist at New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music, dedicated to Texas artists. Williams played every Saturday, collaborated with a variety of arrangements, and opened for songwriters night, “a glorified open mic,” formerly held every Wednesday.
“I’m trying to reach that point where you are saying things in everyday language,” he said, while using a variety of motifs to appeal to listeners across the board. A Beatles’ song, he noted, is like “a play,” pulsing with action, full of characters that engage the listener, quirky, interesting and catchy. Williams admires the same qualities in the likes of Motown performers and Bob Dylan.
Take “GHITP,” which actually stands for “Getting High in the Park.” (Williams hoped the acronym would be more mysterious, that it would sidestep the negative connotation the subject frequently garners.)
“Well there’s boys dressed in leather with motorcycle boots / out of the bushes comes a man in a suit / and there’s a mother of three, sitting over by me / she tries to keep it down, she don’t want the whole world to see… we’re all different people, quite different souls, we all got one mission, yeah, we all got one goal / we’re getting high in the park… that’s what we be doing / and the squirrels don’t give a damn what you do.”
It’s the addition of the squirrels, according to Williams, that makes the song function like a “mini-play.” “It’s about taking a chance,” he added, “a way of me being my own writer,” stepping inside and out of his own world. “GHITP” actually stems from the people of all walks of life who would emerge from the bushes, “ a bit nervous, but always smiling,” while Williams played Frisbee golf in college.
“I got to this point where I was like, ‘I don’t care anymore,’” about what other musicians are doing. “Austin is good for that. It gives you an artistic purpose,” he said.
The Westside Café is located at 1A W. Second St. Williams will play from 9 to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 29. Matt Pless will open at 8p.m. Tickets are $5.
05:2006
When ‘Different’ Really is ‘Different’: Austin rocker plays two venues next week
By: John Hitt
Encore Magazine
Wilmington, NC
Matt Williams says he first became interested in music when he heard the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever.” He liked the strange, distant sound of the singing. While it’s certainly too early to compare this Austin singer-songwriter to the great John Lennon, I can certainly hear the influence. If nothing else, it’s because Williams is different.
We don’t hear something truly different all that often. People say some band they heard is “different” all the time, but that usually means the band is weird, or they’re all dwarfs, or they play two-stringed guitar and eight-stringed bass. But innovation and experimentation don’t always lead to good music (see the band: The Presidents of the United States if America).
Every now and then, there comes the performer who seems to know something we don’t know. But we understand it, and we like it. Such is the case with Matt Williams. The Georgetown, SC, native, who comes to us by way of Austin, Texas, will play two area shows next week: at the Juggling Gypsy, May 17th, and another at Kefi, May 18th.Matt plays music that is just different enough to make you wonder what the hell he was doing when he came up with it. His delivery seems high-pitched and nasally for his size—but it fits, and you don’t know why. His lyrics are almost cryptic at times, but they, too, seem to make sense when Williams sings them over his bluesy, acoustic arrangements. The songs are, at times, just fun party songs. There’s nothing wrong that. Other songs are slow and haunting, a la “Strawberry Fields” (see “Money I’ve Spent” and “Show and Tell”).I guess what I’m saying is that Matt Williams’ style of different really is good.
Touring on the strength of his 2004 release Let’s Work it Out, and in anticipation of his next record, Who Said Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy, Williams keeps a busy schedule based in the thriving music scene that Austin provides. Austin’s influence comes through especially strongly on his songs “Come Closer Norma,” “Thinking of You” and “I Wanna See Rikki Get Down”—all offering a sort of updated, funk-infused country blues.
His voice, which can take a few minutes to get used to, quickly warms on listeners when they realize it’s perfect for the songs. “Ricky Get Down” could almost be an Al Green song, were it not for Williams’ a-little-bit-rock-n-roll voice (he lists Green as an influence, along with the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Randy Newman).
Perhaps the best praise comes from Austin radio host Deborah Lynne, who said, according to Williams’ bio, “I used to go see Norah Jones when she first started performing around town. I knew she was going to be something special then, and I think the same thing about Matt Williams.”It’s quite a round accolade for a relatively unknown songwriter, which can only mean Williams’ shows are definitely worth checking out—both of them. Shows start at 9pm; for more on Matt Williams, or to listen to his music, visit http://www.mattwwilliams.com/.
By: John Hitt
Encore Magazine
Wilmington, NC
Matt Williams says he first became interested in music when he heard the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever.” He liked the strange, distant sound of the singing. While it’s certainly too early to compare this Austin singer-songwriter to the great John Lennon, I can certainly hear the influence. If nothing else, it’s because Williams is different.
We don’t hear something truly different all that often. People say some band they heard is “different” all the time, but that usually means the band is weird, or they’re all dwarfs, or they play two-stringed guitar and eight-stringed bass. But innovation and experimentation don’t always lead to good music (see the band: The Presidents of the United States if America).
Every now and then, there comes the performer who seems to know something we don’t know. But we understand it, and we like it. Such is the case with Matt Williams. The Georgetown, SC, native, who comes to us by way of Austin, Texas, will play two area shows next week: at the Juggling Gypsy, May 17th, and another at Kefi, May 18th.Matt plays music that is just different enough to make you wonder what the hell he was doing when he came up with it. His delivery seems high-pitched and nasally for his size—but it fits, and you don’t know why. His lyrics are almost cryptic at times, but they, too, seem to make sense when Williams sings them over his bluesy, acoustic arrangements. The songs are, at times, just fun party songs. There’s nothing wrong that. Other songs are slow and haunting, a la “Strawberry Fields” (see “Money I’ve Spent” and “Show and Tell”).I guess what I’m saying is that Matt Williams’ style of different really is good.
Touring on the strength of his 2004 release Let’s Work it Out, and in anticipation of his next record, Who Said Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy, Williams keeps a busy schedule based in the thriving music scene that Austin provides. Austin’s influence comes through especially strongly on his songs “Come Closer Norma,” “Thinking of You” and “I Wanna See Rikki Get Down”—all offering a sort of updated, funk-infused country blues.
His voice, which can take a few minutes to get used to, quickly warms on listeners when they realize it’s perfect for the songs. “Ricky Get Down” could almost be an Al Green song, were it not for Williams’ a-little-bit-rock-n-roll voice (he lists Green as an influence, along with the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Randy Newman).
Perhaps the best praise comes from Austin radio host Deborah Lynne, who said, according to Williams’ bio, “I used to go see Norah Jones when she first started performing around town. I knew she was going to be something special then, and I think the same thing about Matt Williams.”It’s quite a round accolade for a relatively unknown songwriter, which can only mean Williams’ shows are definitely worth checking out—both of them. Shows start at 9pm; for more on Matt Williams, or to listen to his music, visit http://www.mattwwilliams.com/.
01:2006
Matt Williams – Let’s Work it Out (Independent)
By Devan Grant
Post and Courier, Charleston, SC
Austin, Texas, musician Matt Williams grew up in Georgetown before setting out for the greener pastures of Austin.
The move has proven fruitful for the singer-songwriter, who has just unleashed an unusual yet incredibly original album, “Let’s Work it Out,” on an unsuspecting public.
Listening to the material on “Let’s Work it Out,” it becomes immediately clear that Williams is the kind of guy who has never settled on one type of music. Indeed, on songs such as “GHITP Parts 1 and 2,” and “I Wanna See Rikki Get Down,” the mood is loose and funky, while on other songs, such as “Money I’ve Spent,” have a decidedly alt-country feel to them.
Williams vocal style takes a bit of getting used to, but despite that, there is little doubt about Williams’ talent as both a songwriter and singer.
Just about every song on this CD seems to have its own personality, from the electronic space sounds on “Goodbye, Norman Vincent Peale” to the Harry Nilsson-like “Thinking of You,” to even the vaguely Ween-esque title track.
Best of all, unlike most albums these days, “Let’s Work it Out” actually improved as the album went on. Williams is not an artist for everyone, but he definitely deserves to be heard. (B)
By Devan Grant
Post and Courier, Charleston, SC
Austin, Texas, musician Matt Williams grew up in Georgetown before setting out for the greener pastures of Austin.
The move has proven fruitful for the singer-songwriter, who has just unleashed an unusual yet incredibly original album, “Let’s Work it Out,” on an unsuspecting public.
Listening to the material on “Let’s Work it Out,” it becomes immediately clear that Williams is the kind of guy who has never settled on one type of music. Indeed, on songs such as “GHITP Parts 1 and 2,” and “I Wanna See Rikki Get Down,” the mood is loose and funky, while on other songs, such as “Money I’ve Spent,” have a decidedly alt-country feel to them.
Williams vocal style takes a bit of getting used to, but despite that, there is little doubt about Williams’ talent as both a songwriter and singer.
Just about every song on this CD seems to have its own personality, from the electronic space sounds on “Goodbye, Norman Vincent Peale” to the Harry Nilsson-like “Thinking of You,” to even the vaguely Ween-esque title track.
Best of all, unlike most albums these days, “Let’s Work it Out” actually improved as the album went on. Williams is not an artist for everyone, but he definitely deserves to be heard. (B)
06:2005
Savannah Morning News - Diversion's Music Picks
Matt Williams
The South Carolina native moved to Austin, Texas, in late 2001 and began to break into the fiercely competitive scene there. With smart songcrafting and a quirky, intelligent, lyrical sense, Williams built a reputation as one of the best acoustic rock singer-songwriters of that region. Williams recruited a band of crack Austin studio veterans and his full-length debut was released last year, spawning a single, "Money I've Spent," that has been in regular rotation on radio stations across the country and worldwide. He's been a favorite in showcase rooms in Austin and across the South, and his solo act is sure to please regulars and newcomers alike at one of Savannah's best acoustic venues ...
opening for Sam Shaber.8 p.m. Tuesday , The Sentient Bean, 13 E. Park Ave., 232-4447, sentientbean.com
-- Stuart Harmening
Matt Williams
The South Carolina native moved to Austin, Texas, in late 2001 and began to break into the fiercely competitive scene there. With smart songcrafting and a quirky, intelligent, lyrical sense, Williams built a reputation as one of the best acoustic rock singer-songwriters of that region. Williams recruited a band of crack Austin studio veterans and his full-length debut was released last year, spawning a single, "Money I've Spent," that has been in regular rotation on radio stations across the country and worldwide. He's been a favorite in showcase rooms in Austin and across the South, and his solo act is sure to please regulars and newcomers alike at one of Savannah's best acoustic venues ...
opening for Sam Shaber.8 p.m. Tuesday , The Sentient Bean, 13 E. Park Ave., 232-4447, sentientbean.com
-- Stuart Harmening
06:2005
Connect Savannah - Connect Recommends
By Jim Reed June 22, 2005
Matt Williams
Though he was born and bred between Charleston and Myrtle Beach in the small coastal town of Georgetown, SC, this perplexing and idiosyncratic singer/songwriter’s career only began to take off after he relocated to the music (and barbecue) mecca of Austin, Texas.
A lifelong devotee of The Beatles’ psychedelic period as well as the sanctified wail of soul men like the Reverend Al Green and Prince, Williams formed an indie rock band with his brother called Irene’s Kitchen, and – not long after graduating high school – was playing road gigs throughout the region. While that group folded after 4 years, he had learned what it took to earn some sort of a living (and win over crowds) playing his own music, and he’s now able to bring that knowledge to bear in his current incarnation as an eclectic, sinewy R & B crooner with a strong roots-rock influence.
Of late, he’s been honing his talent at established Austin watering holes and listening rooms like The Saxon Pub and the New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music. He’s now embarking on his first major road trip since releasing his debut solo album Let’s Work It Out.
That indie CD (featuring a stellar cast of Austin-ites who’ve at times backed up everyone from Aretha Franklin and James Brown, to the Allman Brothers and Burning Spear. That’s a wide swath of American pop history to dive into, and Williams does it with gusto. His high, almost falsetto vocals ring out with a mixture of seductive bravado and mysterious urgency that no doubt helped lead one Texas radio host to liken his delivery and potential to that of another nascent club act (who’s since turned superstar), Norah Jones.
While its debatable whether or not Williams has the talent or the stamina to scale the same heights as Jones, one thing is for certain – he’s already impressing other established Austin musicians and critics, and that’s one heck of an accomplishment in itself.
Remarking on the eclectic nature of his debut album, Williams (who cites Bob Dylan and Randy Newman as songwriting heroes) offers, “I really love songwriters who write quirky, interesting, yet catchy songs. I love the combination of a strong melody, a great beat and weird, but engaging lyrics."
Tues., 8 pm, The Sentient Bean.
By Jim Reed June 22, 2005
Matt Williams
Though he was born and bred between Charleston and Myrtle Beach in the small coastal town of Georgetown, SC, this perplexing and idiosyncratic singer/songwriter’s career only began to take off after he relocated to the music (and barbecue) mecca of Austin, Texas.
A lifelong devotee of The Beatles’ psychedelic period as well as the sanctified wail of soul men like the Reverend Al Green and Prince, Williams formed an indie rock band with his brother called Irene’s Kitchen, and – not long after graduating high school – was playing road gigs throughout the region. While that group folded after 4 years, he had learned what it took to earn some sort of a living (and win over crowds) playing his own music, and he’s now able to bring that knowledge to bear in his current incarnation as an eclectic, sinewy R & B crooner with a strong roots-rock influence.
Of late, he’s been honing his talent at established Austin watering holes and listening rooms like The Saxon Pub and the New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music. He’s now embarking on his first major road trip since releasing his debut solo album Let’s Work It Out.
That indie CD (featuring a stellar cast of Austin-ites who’ve at times backed up everyone from Aretha Franklin and James Brown, to the Allman Brothers and Burning Spear. That’s a wide swath of American pop history to dive into, and Williams does it with gusto. His high, almost falsetto vocals ring out with a mixture of seductive bravado and mysterious urgency that no doubt helped lead one Texas radio host to liken his delivery and potential to that of another nascent club act (who’s since turned superstar), Norah Jones.
While its debatable whether or not Williams has the talent or the stamina to scale the same heights as Jones, one thing is for certain – he’s already impressing other established Austin musicians and critics, and that’s one heck of an accomplishment in itself.
Remarking on the eclectic nature of his debut album, Williams (who cites Bob Dylan and Randy Newman as songwriting heroes) offers, “I really love songwriters who write quirky, interesting, yet catchy songs. I love the combination of a strong melody, a great beat and weird, but engaging lyrics."
Tues., 8 pm, The Sentient Bean.
02:2005
Backstage Winnipeg February 2005: Interview with Kristie Allen
BW - I was surprised to learn that you are so young, and have done so
much with your music so far! When did you start playing?
Matt Williams - I started playing the guitar and singing when I was 18. It was something I never picked up because my older brother had already been playing for some time. It was some sort of a competitive thing between brothers. Anyway, a friend accidentally left a guitar at my house and there was a Beatles songbook we had lying around. I learned "Good Day Sunshine" first and then really started exploring the Dylan and Neil Young stuff I was totally immersed in.
BW - You can play many instruments, how did you learn all of them? And is there any instrument you prefer to play?
Matt Williams - Well, I’m really nothing more than a song-serving guitar player. I really enjoy playing rhythm guitar and trying new ways of approaching that in a band format. Those are the players I listen to mostly. The guy in the background of those Motown records playing the down-strokes is what gets me off. I can play a bit of piano, which is all self-taught, although I need to practice more. It’s more of a writing tool. In the studio working on this record, I played quite a few percussion and toy instruments. I don’t approach instruments in very technical ways, which will hold me back. I tend to try to find a creative way of extending what I know.
BW - How would you describe your music? And what do you write about?
Matt Williams - I would describe my music as fun, thoughtful, witty, funky, slow, fast, sad, honest and dishonest. I like to go wherever I smell trouble. I want it to be instantly catchy and different. I don’t want to be pigeonholed into a genre. One of my favorite songs in the world is "My Good Old Desk" by Harry Nilsson. It’s a song that relates a desk to reliability in an ever-changing world of doubt and fear. It’s quite a scary song to me but wrapped in a beautiful melody and arrangement.
BW - You have been to many places. What would you say is your favorite place to play?
Matt Williams - I always love going home to South Carolina. However, in Austin there’s such a freedom. People expect a little weirdness and individuality. In some places, it’s not a good quality to be different. In fact, I find it scares some people to see something they don’t understand.
BW - I know that many parents think that they're child may be going through some sort of "phase" and not support their dreams. Have you had alot of support from friends and family to persue your career?
Matt Williams - I have had quite a bit of support from family and friends. My parents worry as most will. They want to see some results of course. I should give them a daily update to keep them optimistic. That kind of support is important but it’s the kind you expect. It feels better when a complete stranger thinks enough to support and encourage you.
BW - Tell us a little about your c.d.'s and where one can purchase them?
Matt Williams - The record I put out in the spring of 04 is a fun record. It was a culmination of my RnB fascination. It has upbeat, funky songs and slower ballads. It also has some weird pop stuff in the vein of the Beatles, the Talking Heads and Randy Newman. I wanted to do something I wasn’t sure would work for me. I’m pleased with how it turned out and I’m looking forward to my next record.
BW - What can one expect to see at one of your shows?
Matt Williams - A big band on the stage! I do stuff from the record and that includes a horn section and a piano player as well as a standard rhythm section. We have a lot of fun because all of the players know and respect each other. We try to give that to the crowd. I typically pull out a song by one of my favorite artists too.
BW - Any plans on coming to Canada?
Matt Williams - I would love to come to Canada. I have a musician-friend that just moved back to Ontario. Of course, I would have to be able to finance the trip. I would love to come if you all will have me.
Well, we’d love to have you Matt!
BW - I was surprised to learn that you are so young, and have done so
much with your music so far! When did you start playing?
Matt Williams - I started playing the guitar and singing when I was 18. It was something I never picked up because my older brother had already been playing for some time. It was some sort of a competitive thing between brothers. Anyway, a friend accidentally left a guitar at my house and there was a Beatles songbook we had lying around. I learned "Good Day Sunshine" first and then really started exploring the Dylan and Neil Young stuff I was totally immersed in.
BW - You can play many instruments, how did you learn all of them? And is there any instrument you prefer to play?
Matt Williams - Well, I’m really nothing more than a song-serving guitar player. I really enjoy playing rhythm guitar and trying new ways of approaching that in a band format. Those are the players I listen to mostly. The guy in the background of those Motown records playing the down-strokes is what gets me off. I can play a bit of piano, which is all self-taught, although I need to practice more. It’s more of a writing tool. In the studio working on this record, I played quite a few percussion and toy instruments. I don’t approach instruments in very technical ways, which will hold me back. I tend to try to find a creative way of extending what I know.
BW - How would you describe your music? And what do you write about?
Matt Williams - I would describe my music as fun, thoughtful, witty, funky, slow, fast, sad, honest and dishonest. I like to go wherever I smell trouble. I want it to be instantly catchy and different. I don’t want to be pigeonholed into a genre. One of my favorite songs in the world is "My Good Old Desk" by Harry Nilsson. It’s a song that relates a desk to reliability in an ever-changing world of doubt and fear. It’s quite a scary song to me but wrapped in a beautiful melody and arrangement.
BW - You have been to many places. What would you say is your favorite place to play?
Matt Williams - I always love going home to South Carolina. However, in Austin there’s such a freedom. People expect a little weirdness and individuality. In some places, it’s not a good quality to be different. In fact, I find it scares some people to see something they don’t understand.
BW - I know that many parents think that they're child may be going through some sort of "phase" and not support their dreams. Have you had alot of support from friends and family to persue your career?
Matt Williams - I have had quite a bit of support from family and friends. My parents worry as most will. They want to see some results of course. I should give them a daily update to keep them optimistic. That kind of support is important but it’s the kind you expect. It feels better when a complete stranger thinks enough to support and encourage you.
BW - Tell us a little about your c.d.'s and where one can purchase them?
Matt Williams - The record I put out in the spring of 04 is a fun record. It was a culmination of my RnB fascination. It has upbeat, funky songs and slower ballads. It also has some weird pop stuff in the vein of the Beatles, the Talking Heads and Randy Newman. I wanted to do something I wasn’t sure would work for me. I’m pleased with how it turned out and I’m looking forward to my next record.
BW - What can one expect to see at one of your shows?
Matt Williams - A big band on the stage! I do stuff from the record and that includes a horn section and a piano player as well as a standard rhythm section. We have a lot of fun because all of the players know and respect each other. We try to give that to the crowd. I typically pull out a song by one of my favorite artists too.
BW - Any plans on coming to Canada?
Matt Williams - I would love to come to Canada. I have a musician-friend that just moved back to Ontario. Of course, I would have to be able to finance the trip. I would love to come if you all will have me.
Well, we’d love to have you Matt!
11:2004
Exclaim Magazine
Matt Williams - Let’s Work it Out - Independent
By Shain Shapiro November 10, 2004
Matt Williams, a Charleston, South Carolina ex-patriot floating around the music scene in Austin, Texas has created an interesting self-financed debut. Cleverly borrowing influences, riffs and melodies from Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, Williams uses his voice as the premiere instrument to produce an album that borrows so much from the past that instead of sounding fresh, it hovers dangerously around being a modern pop culture musical refinishing of ’60s ideals. Frolicking loosely around a cultural narrative that examines the life and times of a hormonal, party crazed twenty-something, Williams wraps his head around party anthems, slow funk and ’70s soul that sounds like it was written 30 years ago. His high pitched voice, loose guitar work and soulful but bottom heavy drum mixing provides a steady and enjoyable theme to the album, but one keeps wondering that if Williams had been around during Muscle Shoals’ heyday, one could only imagine how popular this record could have been. Delightfully positive yet at times clichéd, Let’s Work It Out enhances the desire to delve further into the oldies collection and dust off LPs of Marvin Gaye and Blonde on Blonde. A decent effort Mr. Williams, but poor timing.
Matt Williams - Let’s Work it Out - Independent
By Shain Shapiro November 10, 2004
Matt Williams, a Charleston, South Carolina ex-patriot floating around the music scene in Austin, Texas has created an interesting self-financed debut. Cleverly borrowing influences, riffs and melodies from Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, Williams uses his voice as the premiere instrument to produce an album that borrows so much from the past that instead of sounding fresh, it hovers dangerously around being a modern pop culture musical refinishing of ’60s ideals. Frolicking loosely around a cultural narrative that examines the life and times of a hormonal, party crazed twenty-something, Williams wraps his head around party anthems, slow funk and ’70s soul that sounds like it was written 30 years ago. His high pitched voice, loose guitar work and soulful but bottom heavy drum mixing provides a steady and enjoyable theme to the album, but one keeps wondering that if Williams had been around during Muscle Shoals’ heyday, one could only imagine how popular this record could have been. Delightfully positive yet at times clichéd, Let’s Work It Out enhances the desire to delve further into the oldies collection and dust off LPs of Marvin Gaye and Blonde on Blonde. A decent effort Mr. Williams, but poor timing.
