CD: “Hope” by Matt Underdown

“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into a reality”. “Hope” is a brand new debut album from Matt Underdown, a release that has taken 5 years with Matt still believing he has a story to tell. Matt from Bournemouth has played in bands since the age of 13 and finally feels he has released an album that truly represents him. He has always enjoyed writing and performing but has never really committed anything to disc until now. Matt rented a self-catering refurbished chapel in the middle of Gillingham and spent 4 days working alongside my friend Sam Firmin to produce the album. The album features 8 tracks and contains a variety of styles that show Matt as a versatile musician with a lot to give.

The album is largely based around acoustic guitars with Matt’s vocals telling the incredible personal stories about his life experiences. Track one “Almost Leaving” tackles the ups and downs of relationships and how they can push you close to the edge. “Son, One Day Is Not a Lifetime” changes direction with a nice introduction and some additional keys. The song is a heart-wrenching tale of the non-existent relationship with Matt’s Father. Matt says like many people he has a habit of bottling things and his music creation process helps as a release and a way of helping come to terms with the way he is feeling.

Matt goes on to bare his soul with a variety of song-writing styles giving the listener various glimpses behind the scenes of his life. “Wasteland” tells of the frustration of a musicianís career and how things don’t always go as planned, a great little song with some layered vocals and an infectious chorus. The crowning glory of this piece of work is “An Unwanted Goodbye”, a song that everyone who has lost someone close can associate with. Matt tells the tale of a strong influence in his life, his Grandad who sadly passed away. Matt touchingly talks to his Grandad from beyond the grave asking questions like “What’s it like on the other side”.

“We are The Heroes” is the first track where you find Matt’s voice really being stretched and shows the full capabilities of his full vocal range. He reaches out and delivers a fine, passionate vocal performance that’s hopefully the sound of things to come in the future. Here Matt has produced an album that has taken 5 years to put together and includes a journal of his experiences in life so far. There are many positives to take away from this recording and I feel that this is a starting point from where he can now move forward. There are things that could have been done better and I’m sure if Matt looks back, he can see this is by no means perfect but a great benchmark to start and escape from his previous “Wasteland’.

Track Listing
Almost Leaving
Son, One Day Is Not A Lifetime
Life Is
I Just Can’t Sleep Alone
A Day May Come
Wasteland
An Unwanted Goodbye
We Are the Heroes

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