Matt the Electrician is Matthew Sever, a quirky, sincere folk/pop singer-songwriter based in Austin, TX. He has self-released 11 studio albums, and 2 live CDs since 1998. His most recent release, “The Ocean Knocked Me Down” came out on February 2nd, 2024. For the new project, Matt returned to his “home studio” of sorts, The Aerie, in Austin, TX, (owned and operated by Mark Addison) where Matt had recorded 4 of his previous records, including 2009’s “Animal Boy”. And like that project, Matt and Mark played nearly all the instruments on the new record. There are some special guest musicians as well, including MtE regulars, Seela, Jon Greene, and Stephanie Macias. Plus, first timers Carrie Rodriguez, Luke Jacobs and Oliver Steck. To call this a pandemic record might be slightly misguided, even though most of the songs were in fact written during 2020 and 2021. But the vibe of the record is upbeat, and weird, and fun, and sometimes sad, but hopeful, and occasionally poignant, and silly, and hopeful, but ridiculous, and also hopeful. You might think that’s a lot of vibes, but there are 16 songs on the record, because we’ve all been through a lot, and so Matt figured that, this time, everyone deserved a few more songs and a few more vibes than usual. Dan Bern is a captivating live performer who has enthralled a loyal and ever-growing fan base in the US and Europe since the mid ‘90s. His songs range from deeply moving to wildly imaginative and hilarious, often within the same song. He has been compared favorably to the great masters of songwriting, such as Guthrie, Dylan, Costello. Though he draws from the great American tradition of songwriting, there is something deeply unique and compelling that make you want to get to know the man behind the songs. He conjures incredibly specific imagery like in a painting. Though he may turn to cynicism and political satire at times, the beauty of his work is that he is able to imagine better worlds, revealing a deep capacity for empathy and optimism. Bern connects with his audiences skillfully and directly, weaving the topical and local in with the more universal themes. He has written for many films and TV shows, and has made more than thirty albums. “If you ever read the name “Dan Bern” give yourself a treat and go see him. He’s been one of my favourite songwriters and musicians for the past 25 years. His songs are a mix of thought provoking lyrics and a wonderful dry wit. You’ll have a great night out! —Roger Daltrey
