Track listing:
- “Last Parade” – 5:55
- “The Boy Who Could Explode” – 6:57
- “Great Whales Of The Sea” – 3:29
- “Us Remains Impossible” – 4:45
- “On Nights Like Tonight” – 4:22
- “Volcanoes” – 5:03
- “A Silent Army In The Trees” – 5:37
- “Fought To Fight It” – 4:23
- “The Vancouver National Anthem” – 6:51
- “Empty’s Theme Park” – 9:21
The new album Vancouver by Matthew Good was released October 6th.
Most everyone outside of Canada will be indifferent as the MGB never really hit it big in the US like a few other Canadian acts (Nickelback mostly, good taste not withstanding). But for Canadians interested in alternative rock you will either hate him or love him due to his opinions and politics. Most people don’t fall in between. I fall firmly into the love camp though.
In my eyes his solo career has been improving since the slight misstep (IMO) that was White Light Rock & Roll Review. I greatly enjoyed his first, Avalanche, but found his sophomore album to be slightly less satisfying. It was a bit different with just a bit too much of more standard rock songs, but there were still some great songs on it(Blue Skies Over Bad Lands). Hospital Music was a big improvement and went a lot more personal and inward and had loads of intelligent, well written, emotional lyrics dealing with the challenge of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the fallout with a significant other. The new album Vancouver continues the upward slope and I find it to be his best work yet.
Due to living around Vancouver for all of my life this album probably speaks to me more clearly than to somebody who didn’t. I don’t think it was quite meant to be, but the album feels like his parting gift to the city that was his home for 18 years. But it’s a bittersweet gift. The album comments on the discordant nature of the city and social issues that come with urban living. How one of the wealthiest urban neighborhoods in the country is less than 10 minutes away from one of the poorest. The track Vancouver National Anthem is where he expresses these views the clearest. It also features backing vocals by one of his buddies, Pete Yorn (can’t really separate them too well but they are there). Over the years Matt Good became disenchanted with the city so much so that he has finally moved out of it into the suburbs. A lot of this most likely has to due with the loss of the cities music scene, the change in night life, the Olympics, the Lower East Side, child poverty, and other things. The album is not so much attacking or criticizing Vancouver as reflecting on time spent there. As something a bit different, one of the best track’s on the album is “Silent Army in the Trees”. It deals with his experience of indoctrination of militarism when growing up, and uses the city as the backdrop to this. This album also has more subtle percussion than his last few which provides for a bit of a different feel and it seems to blend together better with the increased amount of symphonic elements. Overall, a great album.
9/10
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#1 by Kronk on October 8, 2009 - 7:51 am
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Okay review, but some grammar issues….lol
An aside; Is this you letting us know your feelings? Like realy feelings? lol
#2 by jordandev on October 8, 2009 - 9:27 am
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My feelings on what?
#3 by SEO Ontario Jim on October 25, 2009 - 7:42 pm
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Hey I used my work blog to indulge in a review of this album too! It really is quite good. I agree with everything you say about his other solo work.
Not sure if this url will fit in here but my review is at
http://strongwords.ca/SEO-blog/some-good-lessons-for-the-riaa-a-review-of-matthew-goods-vancouver/#vancouver-matt-good
#4 by jordandev on October 26, 2009 - 10:50 pm
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great review
#5 by chinchilla on November 1, 2009 - 5:31 pm
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White Light Rock’n Roll Review can hardly be regarded as his sophomore album, given he’d written and recorded 5 full-lengths previous. Labeling it a ‘misstep’ is pretty bold, as it is certainly in no way lacking in comparison to his body of work overall. He wrote a contemporary rock’n roll record man, not a follow up to Avalanche or anything MGB. It was recorded almost entirely live off the floor, with 100% pre-80′s equipment – a feat in and of itself. The songwriting is focussed, tight and relatively straight-forward for once. It’s a refreshing album of songs to round out an impressive and still expanding catalog – variety is absolutely integral to the longevity of any artist. It’s shitty when ‘fans’ don’t appreciate that the artist is doing what he or she has been doing all along: what feels right to express at the time.
Again, I just think it’s ridiculous to call that album a mistake in any way. Give it another listen.
#6 by lawya on March 5, 2010 - 12:25 pm
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The first time I ever heard of MG was when I happened to tune into a station on XM on which he was being interviewed. Had no idea who he was for the first 10 minutes or so of listening but, as I heard him reveal more about his personal ideology, I was compelled to find out who it was. They finally played a track and I was able to find out his name. I listened for about 30 seconds before changing the station (can’t remember the song, but it struck me as a little too overtly political for my tastes and seemed like maybe one of his more obscure tracks), but I took note of his name. Well, I decided to check out Vancouver (after hearing Last Parade on the radio) not even putting it together that this was the same guy who I’d heard interviewed (I remember him talking about being Canadian and something about maybe collaborating with Pete Yorn). In any event, Vancouver is incredible. I think I may be an exception to the general rule you suggested re: MG — to say I could do without his politics would be an understatement, but damn if his music isn’t compelling.
#7 by lawya on March 5, 2010 - 12:30 pm
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And very much enjoyed the review. Nice job and, just for the record, there certainly aren’t any glaring grammatical issues like the first commenter suggested. That was well written.