Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Poet? Whatever title suits your needs, Matt Mead doesn’t really care.

That’s because Matt has never been comfortable with labels that reduce artists into a neat little box on a shelf, especially himself. “On the contrary, most of the musicians I know and respect are the exact opposite of that ideology anyway, he explains, which is why art and the corporate world will never really have more than a one night stand together. And quite honestly, I doubt either end would really want it any other way.”

With two independent releases over the last five years and a slew of other musical projects spanning two decades, Matt Mead is no stranger to the singer songwriter tags that he embraces and discards within the same breath. He is relentlessly devoted to the whims of his own Muse, and equally apathetic about how “the industry” might interpret his lack of concern for compliance.
If that sounds cynical you’d be only half right. Mead makes no apologies for his integrity as an artist and a bustling musician or his attitude about the entertainment industry - especially since he’s spent the better part of the last two decades working behind the scenes in live music production. Rather, he balances it out with an equal dose of optimism about his own state of affairs; one which includes a rekindling in the relationship with his music and a step into a brand new direction called fatherhood.

Mead’s latest album Embers is a fiery departure from previous idealistic pursuits and a massive rebirth of himself as an artist who is finally settling in to his own voice.
Fans of artists like Marc Cohn, James Taylor, and Josh Kelley will find much to enjoy when listening to the nine tracks on Embers. Mead has a keen eye for detail and the ability to aptly capture little moments and nuances in his verses. Mead doesn’t quite “rock”; his lyrics and music flow gently, skipping over a rough-textured voice. With tunes ranging from the exuberant romance of “Take a Chance” (“I want to be everything you’d imagine a man like me should be”) to the darker “Feed the Animals” (“You’ve got enough blood to go around for the animals tonight/For a carnivore’s delight”), Mead comes across as a seasoned observer of the world.

Embers was recorded and mixed at Kaleidoscope Sound in Union City, New Jersey. Recruiting a host of prominent players such as STEPHEN CHOPEK (John Mayer, Charlie Hunter), NICHOLAS D’ AMATO (Poppa Chubby, Spiraling) and ROB CLORES (Blues Traveler, Rich Robinson), Mead began work on his second self-produced, independent release.
But in 2006 just as Embers was about to hit the ground running, Matt’s current “day job” as a touring guitar tech called him away from home and out of touch with everyone and everything in his life, including music, (now an eerie prediction, come true as echoed in the words of “Delia’s Song” (“Just tell me you love me and all my fears will melt away just like the setting sun/Your star is gonna rise someday/And though I'm missing you - I know it won't be long”) Though at the time, he felt that submerging himself into the trenches of live music production would inspire him to work harder as an artist and raise the bar on his own level of musicianship. However, in reality it did exactly the opposite. Matt nearly lost his desire to play guitar, let alone write any new songs at all while on the road. “It took about three years for me to finally realize that in order to be true to myself as a musician and an artist, I had to stop playing the “pay your dues” game of the music industry and just keep writing honest music.”

At the center of the album (both literally and figuratively) is “See It From the Street”, a song that makes a repeat appearance from his previously released self-titled EP (along with “Sudie”.) Mead stands on the outside looking in, as cars “rush by me at the speed of light/The drivers clutching at the wheel intent on making their ways right” and others pound the cobblestone in a mad dash to work or home. Despite a chaotic existence, Mead remains appreciative of life’s simpler pleasures. The song “Let’s Talk” also provides a dose of social commentary, imploring people to open their minds and discard their preconceptions.

Matt Mead may never rise to become a household name on the lips of those looking for a quick burn in the music business. No matter which way you look at it, he still doesn’t care. Because after all, the only household uttering his name that matters any more is his own. And there’s nothing in this world that can hold a candle to that kind of admiration any way you look at it.

© 2009 MATTMEADMUSIC