Gruff, Melodic, Earthy, Rural & Sincere: Unique Country Flavors

Produced in Nashville, this British Columbia-born, rough-hewn, gritty, authentic and commanding vocalist – Matt Patershuk – is the kind of singer that — out of the starting gate — is going to appeal immediately to fans of Jon Dee Graham, Buddy Miller, Otis Gibbs, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Waits, Chuck E. Weiss and Bob Dylan. If not, probably a dozen other similar singers with some grit with personality in their vocals. Nevertheless, the voice is gruff, but it’s melodic, earthy, rural and sincere. All those fine traits along with well-written tunes and a tight, down to earth band – how can you miss? 

For my ears, it certainly beats commercially sweet, pulp, jargon lyrical, calorie ridden sugar coated Pablum, that is shoved down so many musically uneducated ears lately. While there are some singers who sing in a similar fashion to Patershuk — he is no cookie cutter, carbon copy, mechanized imitator. There is a unique flavor to this vintage. 

Aside from some college radio stations, and alternative roots publications similar to No Depression — there are very few outlets where this type of music gets the exposure it deserves. I know there is an audience for it. I have attended many concerts and people are there in big numbers. I just wish there was one giant Americana-Roots-Folk-Rock radio station — conventional or streaming — that could lasso the ears of the entire country and ignite their radios with the fact that this music does exist and there are sponsers who could get involved. You can’t convince me Coke, Pepsi, Mobil 1 Oil, some hard cider maker, independent record companies, Martin Guitars, Ludwig Drums, Sheplers Boots, Firestone Tires, Slim Jims, or AXE Cologne manufacturers wouldn’t sponser some great Americana-Roots-Folk/Rock artists and their music. Those types of customers are the audience.  

I know many people are not aware of this material because every time I play it to strangers / friends their ears open and pop like their coming down a mountain road. There is so much good atmospheric stuff out there that few people are aware of. But, that’s an article unto itself. I just get angry sometimes. 

But, there is reason to celebrate here.

I have listened to this Patershuk album at least three times and every time I listen I get sucked into the marvelous stories this singer-songwriter tells, warmly, succinctly and effectively. He’s of that school that includes Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett, Nick Cave even folk-singers like Ferron, who is an excellent singer-songwriter & lyricist.

The opening tune on Matt’s second album “I Was So Fond of You,” showcases a haunting, slow whining pedal steel coupled with a jaunty fiddle. Then Matt’s deep, “…well, I lost my job this morning. I got two young mouths to feed…” on “Back Against the Wall.” It has a grab-you-by-the earlobe type arrangement with each instrument knowing its place in the production. There are times that the gruff actually bows its head, steps away and Matt almost approaches the level of quality in his voice of the late Jim Reeves. Now, he still has a way to go before he catches up to Jim’s warm, resonant classic baritone voice. But, you can’t help but hear some of those qualities in Matt’s voice on certain songs. Matt may be Canadian, but he does sound very American-Southern with his adept vocal and pronunciation. Maybe Arkansas’ Levon Helm left behind some of his prowess and ingenuity behind and Matt picked it up off the side of a Canadian road. The song does have a traditional sprout from The Band – I can hear that. If they were still with us, they would cover this delightful piece. But, I can’t discount that haunting Jim Reeves possibility that creeps in. 

Fats Kaplin opens the next tune with mandolin and he plays so many stringed instruments that he is invaluable to this album’s sound. As Matt sings “Prettiest Ones,” with his deep, beautiful resonant voice, he is supported with the lilting and sad pipes of Ana Egge (who has been reviewed here as well for her solo album). This song is short, but just stays with you.

“Smoke a Little Cigarette,” is more upbeat and Ana joins in again. It has some square dance inflected fiddle that just rides alongside the song’s melody at the same speed coming and going like crosstown traffic. Very good Steve Dawson guitar enlivens the tune. The song is energetic and fun. “Talking to your echo…”  — ah….little lines like that raise the song far and away from jargon. That’s nice and creative in a Lucinda Williams manner. The standard image of “smoke a little cigarette and drink a little wine…” as simplistic as those words are it gives a listener something to focus on – they can “see” that image, smell the tobacco, the ruddy cork and probably wish they could partake of the grape.

Ana Egge’s welcome presence remains for another song and her voice smooths over the piss and vinegar (a compliment) of Matt’s vocal (his masculine vocal being the type I enjoy most to listen to with or without a female vocal). But, Buddy Miller sang for years with his wife Judy Miller and they were effective together as well. Matt and Ana are a welcome replacement. So far, the songs hold up and have a quality that is consistent. “Harviestown,” displays more mandolin and acoustics, upbeat drums with the accent on the bass drum – nice and deep. It compliments Matt’s vocal and this song has reminiscence in it – has a little of that Buddy Miller timbre in the vocal. But, it also has a pleasant, rich, emotive John Prine attractiveness. That is always welcome when it’s done with respect and quality – and it certainly is here.

More old Americana in spirit, the title track “I Was So Fond of You,” has a touch of Richard and Mimi Farina in its pedigree. The song sounds like it was written ages ago – yet, all the songs on this eleven song collection were written by Matt. This song includes a mournful accordion by Fats Kaplin and it’s sad, but so well supporting. On this song, Matt sounds like a cross between Lee Hazlewood, Chip Taylor and Matt Johnson (The The). This is effective, well done and anyone who admires Matt Johnson’s work with The The on the Hank Williams’ loaded “Hanky Panky” album – will enjoy this song immensely. Ana Egge, once again, reliably offers wonderfully supportive vocals. She’s like that little swirl of vanilla that runs through a chocolate swirl cone. I can see why this song became the title of the album. Not exciting in a classic sense, but poignant and powerful. The way “Moon River,” was all those years ago.

A real upbeat, danceable tune “Burnin’ the Candle at Both Ends,” includes some fiery fiddle work and it has an old-time country sound from the late 40’s. It’s so well-recorded and filled with energy grounded in the old American country tradition. Matt has this down solidly. Perfect. It would fit at an Outlaw Country concert with bikers and Rednecks and it would fit on the 1970’s Hee Haw show with Buck Owens & Roy Clark guitar work. This song would be so incredible if the legendary country guitarist Roy Clark did indeed take a solo on it and that hot Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw played a little dueling fiddle with Fats. Ah, well, I can dream can’t I?

Well, my point is, that if a listener starts to think like that while a tune plays then the song succeeds. The imagination has taken over. The song is that exciting. So well-written that a listener starts picking out names from the past who could probably have fun with it. I know those veterans of country music would enjoy playing on a song like this.

“Little Guitar,” is an intense, sad story, but it’s not depressing. It’s typical of country music. It passes down a story, how it affected someone, how it makes someone stronger. This is like a family’s page out of a history book, family album, diary — in a song. Every song by Matt Patershuk is rich with the earth that way. It has roots that surround a tree above the soil and then go deep into the dirt. The songs possess that smell of dirt with rain in it.

Patershuk has this gift in his music. You can sometimes see the roots above the tree, winding around it, but then there are the roots you don’t see. And as you listen to his music you can begin to imagine just how deep some of those big and little roots go. And they don’t need to be watered – they are watered when it rains. Self-sufficient. These songs are self-sufficient.

Does Matt have a sense of humor? Well, every artist in this genre should.

“Pep the Cat Murdering Dog,” is his submission. Rich with pedal steel, mandolin, Matt’s own rhythm guitar, Mike Bubs bass bellows beautifully, Gary Craig’s drums remain clean and steady – and the entire murderous tale skips down and into your ears without ever tipping over any of the other tunes still stuck to your earwax that you already heard.

“Closer,” has that 60’s Liberty / Decca Records sound coming off the guitar – the way those old Timi Yuro, Brenda Lee records sounded, and Willie Nelson in his early days. A little Chet Atkins in flavor. And the reverb is set just high enough to echo through the melody without interfering with Matt’s strong, Willie Nelson-type inflection and then when the lead guitar takes a solo it continues in that classic Nelson sound. Willie needs to hear this – that would get Matt’s name out front for sure. “I can’t warm you up, if you don’t come in…” simple again, but so much better than all those silly pickup truck tunes, ten-gallon hat, beer for my horses, tight jeaned, whiskey drinking, tobacco chewing, kick-ass, drunk and aggressive songs that are endlessly sung by those commercial country bands in the same chord progressions. 

Tex-Mex, a little Freddy Fender, Alejandro Escovedo, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Townes Van Zandt begins to emerge in “Mean Coyotes,” and Ana Egge’s vocal slash out sharp and emotional throughout. At times there are shades of Guy Clark, J.J. Cale that run through the melody and the accordion plays with the whining guitars is excellent. I hate to use a cliché in my description, but this IS what good country music is all about. Distinctive music, creative lyrics, memorable melodies, exquisite backup vocals and while it remains modern in many ways – it retains its respective traditional roots. And…if I may be a child for a moment: tells me a story. 

Now this sounds like Buddy Miller. I love the tune “Tennessee Walker,” but it’s a little close to Miller’s “So New, There Is No Title” (actually, that song became the song called “Chalk” written by Patty Griffin).

That aside, I’d dismiss it. Each tune has such a special offer despite the similarities – they are both potent, strong and – necessary. I’m comfortable with it all. Two excellent songs – and they tell different stories and if we dare to go back and “investigate” their origins I’m certain like old blues songs we will find another song similar written fifty years ago. The coincidence and beauty of it – if you listen to Buddy sing it off his album “Written in Chalk,” – credited to Buddy & Judy Miller – this would lend a hint as to why Matt Patershuk and Ana Egge sound so good and should continue. They are both so tightly in that Miller duo style and they do it — so well. It’s not emulating, it’s not copying – not when you have such original songwriting as Matt’s working for you. It’s a duo that follows respectfully in some very big shoes. After all, following a pattern is not copying – especially when the final design is different from the original. I come away from Matt’s album with the fact that he may even be a little more diversified than Buddy Miller himself. Miller’s style is solid. Yet, Matt seems to be able to straddle many genres of the country idiom and come away with successful renditions. In Miller’s case, he has to continue to sound like Buddy Miller because that’s what people expect. But he is good — isn’t he?

Matt is still young and developing. He has proven with this collection that he has the necessary intuition and grasp of country music. He is not key-holed in any one style. He’s still in the margins and not stereotyped. In a few years, some of the comparisons I made – may even fall away. Matt will find a niche and stay with it. Hopefully, it won’t be a commercial niche. This is where he needs to “stay in touch” with his inner Buddy Miller. At the same time, not lose touch with his swabs of Townes Van Zandt, Jon Dee Graham, Otis Gibbs and those other invaluable, possible influences.

If he can toss all those people into a big musical bowl and successfully balance his own creative, original approach – Matt will be one of many new singers others will be emulating. I think he has the right ideas: different instruments, intensely different song subjects for lyrics, maintain originality and not be afraid to challenge it. I liked what I heard. Look forward to more. I will listen to Matt alongside my Buddy Miller because he earned that spot. Not with the similar voice – but, with his own song writing integrity and vocal expertise. Maybe Buddy will begin listening to Matt’s songs as well.

Now that would be a great duo on stage.

The album was produced by Steve Dawson in Nashville, TN.  The CD package was designed by Matt and John Rummen. It’s a nice six panel CD with a touching, beautiful picture of Clare Ann Riley Patershuk (his sister) – July 9, 1986 – June 30, 2013 — which I believe should have been placed in a more strategic part of the CD for better viewing. Perhaps the horse photo could have gone to the CD tray instead. Just an opinion. The CD package also has a neat 12-page color booklet that outlines some of the reasons / inspirations for each song.

Website:  http://www.mattpatershuk.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattpatershuk

BandCamp:  https://eurootspromotion.bandcamp.com/album/i-was-so-fond-of-you

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review / commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of No Depression. All photography is owned by the respective photographers and is their copyrighted image; credited where photographer’s name was known & being used here solely as reference and will be removed on request. YouTube images are standard YouTube license.

John Apice / No Depression / Written July 2016