Mat McHugh made the right choice by deciding to take a break from The Beautiful Girls (the famed Aussie band of which he is the founder and songwriter) in order to record some solo material. The result of his own artistic soul-searching is the expertly crafted debut album; Seperatista!. Rolling Stone actually nailed is on this one, giving the artist four stars. While this critical acclaim comes from the same magazine that named Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies” song of the year for 2008, they have proved, once again, that their editorial taste is not limited to the commercial waste bin. McHugh is a sonic looking glass into the musical renaissance taking place within the singer/songwriter community.

With worldwide recognition wrapping itself around artists like Jack Johnson (yes, the reviewer is indeed a fan) some performers are feeling the need to mix things up musically in order to reach a broader audience and have some measurable impact. This works only if the art is naturally varied. Some artists stretch their abilities in order to sound fresh or cutting edge. Mat McHugh’s music sounds effortless; both his style and delivery are fluid and textural. While his many influences ring through in his music, it is clear that McHugh is no poser. His love for his craft is palpable, and his future could be bright should he make the right moves from this record forward.

There have been many comparisons of Mat McHugh to the late, greatly missed Elliot Smith; master of the beautifully morose ballad. Nowhere are these comparisons more accurate that on the album’s first cut, ‘Under The Landslide’. Think of the gorgeous tonality in Good Will Hunting’s ‘Miss Misery’ blended with the folky bounce of Ani DiFranco (or, the previously mentioned Jack Johnson). There is a real of warmth and coziness to his music that would make it perfect for film and soundtrack work.

Mat McHugh - Positive Feedback....

Album Review  - Seperatista!....

http://positive-feedback.com/Issue41/seperatisita.htm

Mat McHugh, lead singer of the Aussie based, The Beautiful Girls, has stepped out on his own puuting forth a solo album titled Seperatista!. The album, in contrast to TBG, is intended to be a stripped down acoustic set. Of course I immediately imagined some sort of Jack Johnson Donaven Frankenreiter clone. The first track, ‘Under The Landslide’ did nothing to change my opinion, but as I progressed I was introduced to a CD with an immense amount of musicality and far darker imagery that Johnson’s typical beach going fare.

Aside from the aforementioned ‘Under The Landslide’ there are no throwaway tracks. Eaxh successive track ups the musical ante delving into themes like loneliness on the appropriately titled ‘Loneliness’, and alcoholism in The Bottle. A diverse set of backing instruments, including pianos, organs, cello and bass mesh beautifully creating a well blended, sonically unique feel. As a result, you never know what a particular song will turn into as additional layers are added. ‘Bad Blood’ for example, starts off with a sinple guitar riff, which in turn is expounded upon with a vocal shift  and the addition of a melodica. There are many instances where tracks sound rather pedestrian but are transformed into masterpieces.

Furthermore, there is a tremendous amount of diversity in terms of song style. Over and over (one more time) mixes it up with a reggae feel while ‘I’ll Be For You’ has more uplifting ska-like feel. It just further flushes out the sound and provides something for everyone to enjoy.

Vocal similarities aside, Mat McHugh is far from another Jack Johnson knock-off. His music is far darker and diverse, setting him apart from the innumerable acoustic singer songwriter types.
Mat McHugh - The Umbilical Chord
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