Matt Suggs - Golden Days Before They End
(Merge)
Through four full length albums, Butterglory was never able to muster anything
half as focused or half as mature as its less fair half, Matt Suggs, does on
Golden Days Before They End, his solo debut. No longer confined to indie
pop, by going solo Suggs is able to stretch his legs more and broaden his
musical pastiche, incorporating more sounds and styles.
Suggs now finds himself as more of a country or blues songsmith, as the title
of the album, taken from Roy Orbison's "It's Over," may suggest.
Using strongly Western-influenced sounds like lap steel, acoustic guitar,
and barroom piano, Suggs' songs are like a musical version of the Coen
brothers' Raising Arizona, telling tales of odd characters going through
very dramatic but not unbelievable turmoil against the backdrop of the
Southwest, with small hints of fantasy and folklore mixed in.
Suggs' voice and intimate delivery makes these odd stories accessible. It has
developed into a cross between Paul McCartney's ever jubilant inverted British
slur and Black Francis' diaphragm propelled melodic moan, giving these songs a
consistently bright appearance that helps the breezy melodies bop along, even if
Suggs is singing about a dead tightrope walker or a warning shot in a domestic
squabble.
Musically, Suggs' songs are just expressive and delicately written as his
stories. Continuing its use from the end of Butterglory's tenure, piano
becomes like a second lead instrument on Golden Days along with guitar.
Keeping with his Western motif, Suggs creates galloping melodies and rhythms
that do not overwhelm you but rather act like a buoy, lifting you up above
the rough seas, becoming more dear with each listen. Perhaps this is that
great country-esque solo album Ray Davies should have recorded in the late 60s
but never wrote.
These songs are so well crafted it is almost impossible to believe the
recordings come from a demo of sketches sent to the record label. Thankfully,
in their infinite wisdom, Merge suggested the songs were so strong that they
should be released as is. Something this evocative and charming should not
be fiddled around with.
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