MATTHEW E. WHITE
Sound Control, Manchester | April 25th
No underground release has made more of a stir in 2013 than Matthew E. White’s majestic Big Inner; a remarkable record appearing out of thin air, made by a bunch of misfits from Portland. It’s been tugging at our sleeves ever since.
Those unfamiliar with White’s music will no doubt recognise the component parts: a kaleidoscopic blend of nu-soul, country, Americana, psych, and a dash of gospel, resulting in seven songs of sonic bliss that seem to cover the entire spectrum of American music in a mere 41 minutes.
As a live outfit, White encapsulates all these things and more. Opening with One of these Days, a strolling cosmic groover that excellently flaunts the band’s ability to pull off a harmony, remaining high and hairy against the interweaving guitar melodies and meditative backbeat. Morphing into Will You Love Me, the restrained psychedelics of Big Inner are allowed to run rampant around the canopy of Sound Control. As synthesisers join the band in an extended motorik jam, White and his long beard and hair conjure greater sonic extremities like a possessed medieval wizard (incidentally, White actually addresses the audience about his ambition to get a part as an extra in the new series of Game of Thrones, so if you’re connected, help a brother out). Big Love and Steady Pace follow in quick succession, and with their extended middle grooves the quality of the musicianship steadily builds each track to a rapturous climax drums expertly stabilising the barrage of harmonics and psychedelic textures swirling about the venue.
On paper, Matthew E. White is hardly anything new. The tracks sound like they were lifted from a 70s college radio station, but there’s no hiding how good those songs really are. Even after existing for a mere four months Big Inner already has the makings of a classic.
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Words: Alex Hall
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