MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT – Like a Radio
aaamusic | On 08, Mar 2018
The melodic musician and songwriter Iain Matthews was lead singer with Fairport Convention in the 60s before forming his own band, Matthews Southern Comfort, which had considerable success worldwide with a cover of the Joni Mitchell’s ‘Woodstock’. The band’s three original albums Matthews Southern Comfort, Second Spring and Later That Same Year became classics.
Iain’s new line-up for the band includes innovative Dutch musicians Bart Jan Baartmans (guitars), Bart de Win (keyboard) and Eric De Vries (acoustic guitars and vocals). Their new album Like a Radio contains 15 tracks, mostly originals, which combine traditional British folk-rock with Americana. It was released on February 23rd, 2018 as a follow-up to Kind Of New in 2010.
The graceful and delicate title track ‘Like A Radio’ is followed by ‘Bits And Pieces’, a revealing song about being transient or displaced, together with the Steve Gillette and Tom Campbell song ‘Darcy Farrow’, recorded widely by artists like John Denver and Linda Ronstadt, and also to be found on the MSC Second Spring album.
‘Jive Pajamas‘ contains much fun and humour and Carole King‘s ‘To Love’, originally recorded by MSC on their debut 1970 album, is as joyful as ever. Eastern sounding ‘Chasing Rainbows’ has skilful lyrics that contrast fantasy with reality and ‘Something In The Way She Moves’ is a fine version of the romantic James Taylor song.
‘Whispering’ Bob Harris says that “Like a Radio is right up there with the best of the Iain Matthews catalogue. Lyrically sharp and beautifully produced, the album is a gem”. Listeners will find covers of classic songs that are rich, warm and imaginative. In 2018, Matthews Southern Comfort will tour worldwide and are likely to be found at festivals in the summer.
