[iPhone 4 photo by acidjack]
I have known the Raleigh, NC-based singer and songwriter Matt Douglas, best known for his work with The Proclivities and his new band with the singer-songwriter Caitlin Cary, The Small Ponds, since we were high school kids, so it is fair to say that I am not impartial when it comes to his music. A multi-talented musician who excels on multiple instruments including sax and guitar, Douglas has spent most of his life as a teacher and student of music. Matt’s songs draw on a range of musical influences, including Hungarian folk music, which you may not pick up right away in what on their surface are classic American songs with rock, folk and country influences. I was thrilled to have a chance to catch up with Matt on this short solo tour of small venues, where he played material he wrote for both of his current bands, as well as a cover of Etta James’ “My Heart Cried.” These stripped-down gigs have a way of accentuating excellent songwriting (or exposing bad songwriting) rapidly; the lyrical and stylistic diversity of these songs told me that Douglas has earned his place on this journey will both skill and dedication. Two new songs early in the set, the country-inflected “Two of a Kind” and “Plexiglass Coffin” are expected to be released on a Matt Douglas solo record sometime this year. Wherever he is, and whomever he is playing with or for, expect Douglas to continue to expand his musical universe.
Matt has two NY-area shows coming up in February – first on February 12 at Terminal 5, where he plays horns with Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, and then on February 16 at one of our favorite venues, Rock Shop, which is a Small Ponds gig.
I recorded this set with the tiny DPA 4061 omnidirectional mics clipped to either sides of a chair directly in front of the stage. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!
Stream “Ray of Sunshine”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/M9010MattDouglas0211/mattdouglas2011-01-09pete’s_acidjack-02.mp3]
Stream “Two of a Kind”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/M9010MattDouglas0211/mattdouglas2011-01-09pete’s_acidjack-04.mp3]
Direct download of entire set in MP3 files [HERE]
Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].
Matt Douglas
2011-01-09
Pete’s Candy Store
Brooklyn, NY USA
An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced for nyctaper.com by acidjack
Equipment: DPA 4061 (Coresound “HEB”)>Sony PCM-M10 (24/44.1)
Position: Center, 1ft from stage
Mastering: 24bit/44.1kHz WAV>Audacity (tracking, smooth peaks, light compression, set fades)>FLAC ( level 8 )
Tracks [Total Time
1. Intro
2. Ray of Sunshine
3. banter
4. Two of a Kind
5. banter
6. Plexiglass Coffin
7. banter
8. Charlatan
9. banter
10. My Heart Cried
11. Handguns & Dancing Shoes
12. banter
13. Pauline
14. banter
15. Gypsy Cards
If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Matt Douglas, visit his website, and purchase the latest Small Ponds record here or on iTunes.
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