Matt Mitchell & The Coldhearts: Matt Mitchell & The Coldhearts

If you’ve got a mighty fine taste in singers Matt Mitchell’s voice should be something that you are well acquainted with. Having previously fronted, Pride, the much missed Furyon and hugely underrated Colour Of Noise with Little Angel’s Bruce Dickinson, Mitchell has now branched out on his own for the first time. Having shown impressive vocal diversity through the differing genres covered by his past outfits - AOR, hard rock, heavy blues - Matt has this time crafted a more personal set of songs and an album that reveals a different side to him than you may expect. It all makes for a classy, eclectic mix where the singer gets to show a host of attacks and approaches, while the band he’s surrounded himself with lay down a serious foundation for their frontman to set out his solo stall.

Lead single from this self-titled introduction, ‘Black Diamond’, may well be the proud strut of riffs and holler of hard rock that Mitchell fans will have been anticipating, but from there we get the laid back feel of ‘Dare You To Watch’, which floats along on the sort of vibe I’d have expected Jon Bon Jovi to be thriving in at this stage of his career, if he hadn’t turned himself into some sort of cabaret act instead. ‘Old Enough & Ugly Enough’ sits astride a beautiful acoustic strum and almost countrified shimmer, where piano tinkles gently to expertly emphasise the point, before the strut of ‘Unavailable’ nips into Jimmy Page’s lock-up, steals one of his intros and then decides to place it proudly atop an upbeat slap of good times - although the lyric is far from sweetness and light.

Having already stated that The Coldhearts may well evolve into an ever changing beast of who best fits when the need arises, Mitchell is flanked on this opening foray by Mauro Laconi on guitar, Matt Cherry on drums, Dom Ladd on bass and Stevie Watts on keyboards, while the band leader also adds his own six string magic to the brew. The confident strut and stride of “Do You Wanna Be My God� is a classy slice of boogied up riff and roll, while “Waiting For The Sun� collides The Answer into something a little darker and farther reaching. Leaving “Kings & Queens� to perfectly illustrate the juxtaposition between laid back assured Americana and powerful rocking beast that this album so carefully negotiates. Crucially, Mitchell handles it all with an ease that immediately welcomes you into this new world of his and sets this latest venture out as possibly the best thing the man has put his name to. Considering the high watermark he’s set for himself, that’s a proclamation I don’t make lightly.

Track Listing
1. Black Diamonds  
2. Home  
3. On & On  
4. Dare You To Watch  
5. Kings & Queens
6. Unavailable  
7. Do You Wanna Be My God
8. Old Enough & Ugly Enough
9. Wave Goodbye  
10. Everything To You  
11. Keep Me Safe  
12. Waiting For The Sun

Added: April 5th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Matt Mitchell Music
Hits: 848
Language: english

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