Matthew Gordon Price – Rivalry EP
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| Matthew Gordon Price - Rivalry |
Release Date: 30th March 2018
The eagerly anticipated new EP
from Plymouth based artist Matthew Gordon Price is nearly here but I’ve always been
an impatient soul, so it was always likely that I would suffer some premature
articulation of my thoughts on this particular collection of songs. The five
track EP opens with the song ‘Sweet as Stone’, a song that initially continues
on from the intricate acoustic folk stylings of MGP’s previous EP with a heart-broken
lyric of “How couldn’t I see, what you took from me?”. Building from the firm
footing of a Bon Iver or Avert Francis heartstring puller, this track is given
some solace by a violin and then, well, then it bursts in to life with all the
life-affirming power of a Noah Gundersen belter and suddenly, in an instant,
you realise that this EP is a very different offering indeed.
‘Vixen Queen’ is up next and there’s
a reassuring stomp about it that puts you in mind of Fleetwood Mac, Fleet Foxes
or Mumford & Sons but with more determination. This is a song about love
and lust but without the requisite requite and MGP makes use of his hand
selected band to blend the delicate acoustic notes, that aforementioned rhythm,
a pulsing bass line and clenched-teeth vocals to drive that emotion homes.
Title track ‘Rivalry’ sparkles and glistens like winter sun on a glassy bay but
MGP’s vocal has a mature, earthy tone to it that puts meat on the bones of this
sweeping epic number as it floats away on the lush strings and carefully placed
guitar notes.
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| MGP |
The fourth track on this
collection is simply titled ‘Numb Overture’ and is a 95 second instrumental
piece that has a cinematic feel to it and could easily turn up on the soundtrack
to a gritty, coming of age film made in North Wales such is it’s earthy and
natural beauty. Then comes the climax of this EP, the deceptively slow starting
‘Numb’ – a song made for the late night/early morning hours. The vocals are almost
mumbled as if from a defeated, world-weary man while the music struggles to
keep up with him before erupting in delightful dawn-esque blast of light, sound
and hope. By the time song climaxes in a chest beating, mouth foaming coda, you
can’t be under any illusion that Matthew Gordon Price is the real deal. He has
well and truly mastered the lush vibe and has the songs to match the ambition
and the ideas so consider this EP a warning shot across your bow – there are
bigger things to come from this gentleman.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewGordonPrice/
Live Dates:
1st April – Hawkins Arms, Zelah
7th April – EP Launch @ The Junction, Plymouth
23rd April – Bread & Roses, Plymouth
4th May – The B Bar, Plymouth
29th June – Inn on the Shore, Downderry w/Jamie
Yost (FREE ENTRY)
6th July – Glas-Denbury Festival, Newton Abbot w/Joanna
Cooke + Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
17th August – Spice of Life, London w/Jamie Yost
18th August – The Vaults/The Shed, Leicester
14th October – Rod & Line, Saltash