What is there to say about Matt & Kim that isn’t already told by drummer Kim Schifino enormous smile and keyboardist Matt Johnsons Red Bull fueled playing? From the onset of one of their live shows, you know you are in for a special treat. Even with no released material, Matt & Kim were able to amass a following with some legendary Brooklyn house shows back in 2005 which propelled them to “blogosphere” fame.
I was able to catch one of their first SXSW shows back in 2007 from a perch looking over a fence into the venue because the crowd was at capacity and the wait line was too long. Even from a vantage point so far away, their spunky performance was one of the best concerts I’ve seen. You would think years later and the demands of constant touring would put a hamper on their cheerful attitudes, but no, they keep on doing it day-in and day-out. Always glowing and oozing genuineness at every stop, Matt & Kim certainly are the type of band people not only want to listen to but hang out with.
Well the duo now has a quality sophomore album in Grand which not only brings out the intensity of their live set but also show that there is a musical side to the group. Although Grand is a more “advanced” recording compared with their self-titled debut, there are still tinges of DIY surrounding the album. Recorded at Matt’s parent’s house in Vermont in a couple of months, you can tell that the thirty-minute album has a lot more thought put into it than its predecessor.
The opening track “Daylight” has an infectious melodic keyboard line and drum-rim clanks you would expect from a typical Matt & Kim song, but it gets more layered as the song progresses with added synth and even horns that make for a much fuller arrangement. Contrary to the name, “Good Ol’ Fashioned Nightmare” sounds more like a soundtrack to accompany a nice stroll through flower shows than a sweat-filled dreadful sleep. Even the hammering of the bass drum beats can’t dampen the happy feeling the cheery keyboard grace notes instill in you. Much of the album continues in the same fashion with sing-along lyrics sung by Matt and handclapping rhythms produced by Kim that make the time spent listening to the album fly by.
There are some exceptions which make the album less two dimensional for those who don’t like redundancies no matter the quality. Matt pretty much shuns the keyboard on “Lessons Learned”, opting instead to showcases his vocals – a ballsy move for a guy that is not necessarily the best singer in the world. Maybe it’s due to low expectations, but Matt shines when he splits into three-part harmony for the chorus then regrouping to emphasis the emo-tastic line “thinking about tomorrow won’t change the way I feel today”. “Turn This Boat Around” slows down the tempo and is probably the most ballad-like song they’ve made to date. Of course to compensate for the slowness, they have to hype it up twice as much with the next track “Cinders”.
Matt & Kim is certainly a must see band live if you ever get a chance and now with Grand you can take the party home! Here’s a video from their lone SXSW of 2009. Enjoy!
Tags: Grand, Matt & Kim