EP review: Matt Reekie – Down The Corridors

EP REVIEW

Artist: Matt Reekie

EP: Down The Corridors

Website: mattreekie.bandcamp.com

Matt Reekie – Down the Corridors
1. Introduction 00:59
2. Down the Docks 02:08
3. When I See Her Face 02:53
4. It’s a Shame 03:32
5. From the Storm 03:11

The front of Matt Reekie’s Down The Corridors EP shows a group of people, mostly old, sitting on a bench on the waterfront near the Albert Dock (on the CD version, it folds out to show Reekie busking to them). That is a good starting point for the music therein – it is imbued with hefty doses of sea air and of Liverpool’s musical history. There are echoes of many of the Mersey’s most melodic sons – The La’s, Shack, The Coral (Wirralians, but in the same general musical area), maybe even a bit of those four chaps who used to wear the natty suits back when my dad was young.

The first track is a minute-long instrumental with fingerpicked guitar, accordion and overdubbed seagulls. Pleasant enough, but nothing special. The seagulls continue in the background of the second track “Down the Docks”, the lyrics of which describe an old man sitting by the River Mersey and reminiscing. Whilst sparsely arranged for the most part, a choir of harmonies swell it in the chorus and middle section. Nice.

Track three, “When I See Her Face” is a full band arrangement, and where the EP’s title comes from: “When I see her face, I’m lost down the corridors of time”. Matt had set the song to come up first on his bandcamp page, and it does seem like the obvious choice for a single – upbeat, and memorable. Subtle sunshiney harmonies, hand claps and a perky drumbeat drive the song along. I can imagine this being on the radio, and enjoying it when it was. (Make it so, Zane Lowe!)

“It’s a Shame” is a slower song, mid-paced and a bit moody, addressed to someone who’s “got the whole town chasing after” them, and is told “you don’t make it easy on yourself”. Not minor key, but at least mixolydian, which lends it a brooding air, the backing begins sparse and builds up slowly, with bass creeping in for the second verse, and drums and a second guitar appearing and buoying the song nicely for the third.

“From the Storm” is the final track. A minor key slowy, starting with the sound of an actual storm and the harp of Mr Stanley Ambrose, it brings things to a melancholy close.

There are a good few nods to the past in the sound and lyrics of this EP, but whilst casting a good glance back over its shoulder, it is a record that is moving forward at a rate of knots. Overall I would recommend it to anyone who likes melodic acoustic pop with a distinct Liverpool tinge. (so… that’s most of the readership, right?) It’s well worth the measly £2 price of the download. With a playing time of just over 12 minutes it’s over in what seems like the blink of an eye, which is no bad thing – if you want more you’ll just have to put it on again.

Down The Corridors is available from mattreekie.bandcamp.com

© 2012 Will Barnes – Liverpool Acoustic

ep review matt reekie down the corridors