Summer's Coming is out now!
Image: McLean Stephenson.
Melbourne songwriter Al Matcott has dropped his debut album Summer's Coming. To celebrate the release, the musician has shared with MILKY five 'firsts' that iccured whilst creating the body of work.
Matcott will be hitting the road on a national tour, kicking off in Wadawurrung/Torquay on November 10. The run of shows will continue on to Kaurna/Adelaide, Dharawal/Port Kembla, Eora/Sydney, Yorta Yorta Country/Beechworth, Naarm/Melbourne and Taungurung Country/Kyneton, before playing a set at Mt Duneed Estate, Wadawurrung/Geelong next February.
ONE
I recorded in a fancy shmancy studio for the first time. I was lucky enough to record at Head Gap in Melbourne and Golden Retriever in Sydney. We were on the clock trying to get everything done as quickly as possible. I learnt to trust in my vision. I’m proud of how much we did so quickly, and how it’s turned out.
TWO
I worked with a producer for the first time. In this case Wade Keighran (of The Scare and Wolf and Cub). Just this mountainous 6’4” peppermint tea-drinking goth who pushed everything harder and darker. Within the first hour he asked “so do we need to fuck around trying to make sure we have a single or keeping anyone happy or are we going for it?” I said “we’re going for it.” And away we went. Very cool guy.
THREE
Every hail-mary attempt to land an amazing musician cameo worked. I already had my great band, Brendan West (bass, guitars), Miranda Holt (drums), Steve McLennan (guitars) who all laid down some amazing takes. Steve’s now back playing with his band Buried Feather so we’ve got the amazing Phoebe Neilson on bass for shows. But outside the band some people I never expected to say yes, said yes.
Freya Josephine Hollick agreed to play the female lead in our rock-opera rendition of Townes Van Zandt’s Our Mother The Mountain.
Kate ‘Babyshakes’ Dillon from Full Flower Moon Band agreed to sing female vocals in the title track Summer’s Coming.
And one of my all time favourite guitarists Taylor Hollingsworth from Alabama agreed to lay down some slide guitar for ‘O My Darling.’ Dream come true stuff <3
FOUR
I made a mood board. I used Trello (lol). This album lived in my head for such a long time so there was a whole host of images or references which started to emerge then find their way into the songs. Some of the books or poetry I read ended up in there. Or ideas like “‘Our Mother The Mountain’ needs to sound like a ship being destroyed in a squall and the female vocals should sound like a siren haunting the song.” Regular shit like that.
FIVE
I made a playlist of tunes I was inspired by during the writing and recording of the album. Now I listen to it when I (on rare occasions) go running.
Summer's Coming is out now!
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