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Matt Elliott

The End Of Days

    On the ninth solo album from the French-based British musician behind Third Eye Foundation, it is near impossible not to draw comparisons to the late great bard Leonard Cohen. Elliott's accomplished Spanish infused guitar craft further adds to the resemblance.

    Although it remains rooted in darkness, Elliott's approach to folk is also rich with a sense of warmth folk, embellished with gorgeous classical arrangements of composer David Chalmin, Gaspar Claus' cello, and Jeff Hallam's bass.

    Of course, one could file Matt Elliott in one genre or another. While "Folk" appears to be the general consensus, the Englishman would be more in line with a long runningtradition of lamentation songs that can be found on every single continent. Whether it is Greek rebetic songs, Portuguese Fado, Delta Blues, Balkan fanfares, Yiddish melancholy and Cape Verdean Saudade, you can hear it all in Matt Elliott's music.

    Those are the songs of an uprooted and stateless artist, a true musical storyteller who's voice had never felt so free, rough and sincere. Like not other, on "The End Of Days", Matt Elliot sings the infinitely small space that lies in-between intense joy and absolute sorrow, sitting on a fence at the border that separates the unspeakable and what is shared.

    TRACK LISTING

    The End Of Days
    January's Song
    Song Of Consolation
    Healing A Wound Will Often Begin With A Bruise
    Flower For Bea
    Unresolved

    "Howling Songs" is the magnificent third and last part to the 'songs trilogy'. This is a very haunted and personal piece of music which is the testimony of a unique talent where moving melodies follow other moving melodies balancing between ballad songs and folk music, madness and reason, revolt and despair. "Howling Songs" sympathizes with the surrounding world; it is a definitive observation in which one can feel, throughout the songs, an outraged sensitivity which is the signature of the artist. It is all the more sensitive that Matt's voice is sometimes present without any chorus in the background, bringing to the whole both confidence and unquestionable heat. "Howling Songs" is, without a doubt, the most introspective album by Matt Elliott and the one which carries best his musical personality. Fans of Nick Drake, Yann Tiersen, Crippled black phoenix, Wovenhand will enjoy Elliott's powerful songwriting and outraged sensitivity.


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