Jeff Buckley for the new millenium.
Scott Matthews hails from Wolverhampton, and recorded debut album 'Passing Stranger', from which single 'Elusive' is taken, in Birmingham's Artisan Studios. He recently supported the Foo Fighters in Hyde Park, a surprising fact given that his musical style is as far from theirs as a tropical beach is from a Scottish traffic jam in the rain. Rather than crashing guitars and angsty lyrics, Scott Matthews delivers soft and strong music with a bluesy folk feel reminiscent of Jeff Buckley and (thankfully) a million miles away from the too-commercial James Blunt.
'Elusive' has received heavy play from BBC Radio 6, and it's easy to hear why. Opening with stringed instruments playing low and softly, Scott's gorgeous vocals soon enter, husky yet sweet, refined yet hinting at a potentially wide range. The central tune of the song progresses steadily throughout the track and never becomes dull – in fact after listening to 'Elusive' once you'll probably want to hit the 'back' button and play it again. Mr. Matthews avoids the singer-songwriter trap of using only the guitar as a backing instrument, and there is an interesting selection of percussion to listen to in addition to the stringed instruments.
B-side 'The Wasp And The Jar' is sadly not as unforgettable. Scott's voice remains a joy to listen to, but the track is not as original or exciting as 'Elusive'. Fans of the laid-back singer-songwriter genre will enjoy this song, but it's unlikely to have the same wide appeal as the title track.
'The Wasp And The Jar' does admittedly pale in comparison to the preceding song, but this remains a fine single from an extremely talented individual. Scott Matthews has the potential to be the next big thing in male singer-songwriters, and let's hope he makes it – his style and voice far surpass that of any other male newcomer to the singer-songwriter scene in the past few years. Roll on, 'Passing Stranger'!