Track Listing

1. Angel
2. Suspended
3. Sad Songs
4. I Saw
5. Bare
6. Little Victories
7. Pretty the World
8. Curve of the Earth
9. Bent
10. Lucky Boy
11. Weight of It All
12. Sing Me Sweet

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7193 in Music
• Released on: 2003-10-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

Excellent "First" Release
Matt has been on the scene for a while, making records since 1993. *Beneath These Fireworks* is Matt's first major-label release, and it is excellent. There is not a weak song on this album.

*Beneath These Fireworks* gathers a few songs from his earlier independent releases and adds seven songs' worth of never-before-released material. The songs on this release are diverse and the sound is rich. I particularly like "Sad Songs" from his new material. Matt has a great voice and his talent is noticeable in every song on this release.

Those who enjoy music by Howie Day, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews Band, and David Gray likely will enjoy Matt's music. If he plays a show near you, go see it. Not only is he an extremely talented singer-songwriter, but he is an extremely funny person. Go for good music, a good deal of laughing, and at least one good belly laugh. :-)

He keeps getting better!
I stumbled upon a live show of his a little over a year ago and was completely captivated by his performance. He was one of the funniest people I've ever seen and you just instantly wanted to be friends with this guy. When I listened to the CD's I bought at the show, I really liked them but they didn't quite capture the power that he brings to the stage. You have to see him live to truly appreciate him, but once you do you'll quickly fall in love with the CD's. Each time I see him I come away with a new favorite song. With this new CD he re-records a lot of great old songs and adds some real gems to the pack. His new producer and great cast of guests (Emm Gryner and Glen Phillips) really add a great touch and I think he shines through better than he has before. It's still not as great as his live shows which will leave you laughing hysterically (watch for Prince cover of Starfish and Coffee!), but I really enjoy this new disc. I highly recommend anything by Matt, but this is a great one for those just learning who this incredible guy is.

A Unique Songwriter
For anyone comparing Matt to John Mayer, they obviously have a limited ear for music. The two styles are VERY different. I challenge anyone who rated this CD with one star to see Matt in concert and NOT be amazed by his talent. Few artists can play a 12 string like Matt, few can put the amount of soul into their music, few can write lyrics like him, and few can mock themselves and "rock" in general while doing it. Matt is a true performer - he is NOT a studio wannabe and as one reviewer pointed out - he's been making music for years. This just happens to be his first studio release, but those of us with taste for the underground and non-streamlined studio music have been enjoying his last four CDs for years. Any reference to Britney-esque turnouts is ignorant and inept. Is Matt cutting edge and shocking? Maybe not. But true talent doesn't have to be.