
MATT COSTA Old-timey charms from a Jack Johnson protégé
Credits
Release Date: Jan 22, 2008; Lead Performance: Matt Costa; Genre: Folk
B+
California balladeer (and Jack Johnson protégé) Matt Costa loads Unfamiliar Faces, his second full-length with folk, indie, and psych-rock tunes some hits (''Mr. Pitiful''), some misses (''Lilacs''). With a plucky guitar, harmonica, piano, and sun-burnished vocals, Costa knows how to work gospel's euphoric uplift into secular music, though he follows the blueprints of his idol (a ''Hurdy Gurdy Man''-era Donovan) a tad too closely. Thankfully, his old-timey charms don't overwhelm; it's more a reminder that in the Age of iPod, crackly vinyl is still worth cherishing. B+
DOWNLOAD THIS: Stream ''Mr. Pitiful'' at the Brushfire Records website
Posted Jan 11, 2008
You Might Also Like
- Pop Culture Commentary Can musicians find the best new talent in music? | Michael Endelman
Add Your Comments
The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment.
If you see inappropriate language,
e-mail us.
You must have javascript enabled to submit a comment.
You Might Also Like
- Pop Culture Commentary Can musicians find the best new talent in music? | Michael Endelman





