Album Review: Mat Kerekes – Luna & The Wild Blue Everything

Dissonance August 22, 2016 209 Comments 2,347 views 2 likes

In order to explain the theme behind his upcoming album, Luna & The Wild Blue Everything, Mat Kerekes aptly states that “people, things and feelings change as you get older.” This way of thinking is nothing new, but it’s a small piece of knowledge that feels integral to know as society tends to not look at the bigger picture. In reality, nobody should expect anything to stay the same, otherwise there’ll just be a layer of disappointment to face later on. With this mindset established and a slowly building catalog of music on Bandcamp, Mat when into the studio to record his debut solo album as an outlet to prove he’s more than just the frontman for Citizen. But does he succeed at setting himself apart in his solo career, or is he going to be forever stuck as the frontman for the acclaimed alternative rock outfit?

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Genre: Indie Rock, Folk, Acoustic
Label: Synergy Records
Release: August 26, 2016
Connect: Facebook | Twitter
Purchase: MerchNow | iTunes | Bandcamp
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Enlisting the help of producer Will Yip and recorded in a period of 2 weeks, Luna & The Wild Blue Everything showcases a different side to Mat Kerekes, especially compared to the more harsh sound present throughout Citizen’s discography. The barebones of sound found on this record is Kerekes accompanied by an acoustic guitar with the occasional backing of percussion or strings. On the album’s opener “The Clubs / The People’s Attention”, Mat softly plays on an acoustic guitar before it builds up to a combination of drums, strings and electric guitar intermixing singing and shouts. Next up is “Direction” which is appropriately titled as he’s searching for direction which is helped by an acoustic guitar, percussion and a guest feature from vocalist Anthony Green. The sounds explored on both of these songs is what Kerekes continues to build upon throughout the rest of the record. While he maintains a certain cohesiveness to the songs, that in no way means that it feels like one long song, it ultimately helps the record come together with a feeling of completion. There’s enough done to make each song stand out, from the brief and subtle use of strings as displayed in “For Anyone” and “Riding in Your Car” to the more upbeat, happy folk inspired songs such as “My Lucky #3”, “Canvas” and “The Means Of ( )”.

Mat Kerekes – The Clubs / The People’s Attention

Lyrics a picture hangs on my wall and hears what i talk about i’m drawing circles and i’m getting dizzy now oh, how have you been?

With his debut album, Mat Kerekes proves that he not only has the chops to create music that is wholly his own, but has the ability to stand out in the solo field, writing music that is vastly different from what he’s currently best known for. From songs like the grandiose “The Clubs / The People’s Attention” to more personal driven ones like “Bosque Verde”, Luna & The Wild Blue Everything showcases where Kerekes was and where he is now and where he is right now is just fine.