After establishing himself with a wealth of vibrant offerings these last few months, Belfast-born singer-songwriter Matt Benson now looks to cement his dynamic legacy to date with the release of his eagerly-awaited debut album 'Sit Back Down Again'.
Featuring the previously shared 'Broken Masterpiece', 'The Way It Should Be', 'Strangers And Angels' and its stunning title-track, this twelve-song collection cements him as one of the more endearing names on the rise right now. With such a firm and confident approach to his songwriting throughout, 'Sit Back Down Again' has certainly been worth the wait for his ever-expanding fanbase.
So with the new LP available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I guess I'm supposed to say the trombone, cause that's what I play. But, my mother plays the Harp. As a child I would hear her practising. The sound of it would echo through the walls of the house and it was truly other-worldly. I remember just being transfixed by the purity of the sound and time would pass quite quickly. It has a special kind of purity about it and a meditative beauty that makes you stare at stuff in that out-of-focus kinda way… know what I mean?
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Jazz… I’m forever grateful to my brother and his friend Joe who was a DJ. Joe was manic about collecting jazz records and he gave me ‘Buddy Rich Live At Caesars Palace’ when I was like 13 years old. I fell in love with every solo on that record and I can still hum along with them today. George Benson’s early instrumental stuff also completely killed me. And that crossed over into Miles Davis. All roads lead me inevitably to Tom Waits and Randy Newman… But yeah Jazz was a gateway drug to everything else for me.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The one I actually bought was ‘Now 32’ I think. It was a big deal to buy a CD back then because it actually cost money and we had to make the trip out to the record shop too. My friend’s mum used to make a flask of tea and sandwiches for the trip. It was a big deal. I’ll never forget the bus trip back home after buying those first few albums. The heartache when it was rubbish. And the elation when it changed your life forever.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
‘Still Crazy After All These Years’, Paul Simon. Ah it's just a mind blowing tune. So imbued with nostalgia in that way that makes you just really love life and want to do it all again. Its encapsulates my own oddness too. I’m not the kind of man who tends to socialise and I do seem to lean on old familiar ways. And that sax solo, it really is making me wanna go listen to it now just thinking about it.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I have to be alone. If I hear someone else in the house doing something I start listening to myself from their perspective and then it becomes about what I imagine they think. Is that normal? Now that I’ve written it down it seems like strange behaviour. But it’s probably not. We’re all weird I guess. Sometimes if I'm in flow it doesn’t bother me but I have to get to that point first and I'll do whatever I can to get to that point… but it's generally a good idea to be alone I find.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
There's a band called Busman’s Holiday: it’s two brothers. They have this tune called ‘Can You Dance?’. It has totally hooked me, very feel-good. Great brass lines and fun production without being too corny. Have a listen, it's great, you’ll smile, probably. This guy from Dublin called Dylan Harcourt I met recently at a gig. He’s like a mix of Charles Aznavour and Ricky Nelson or someone like that. A new twist on a classic. Great guy too so I want to give him a shout out. Babo Moreno, it’s Brazilian Jazz. Feels like a soundtrack to an old Steve McQueen movie. Reminds me of Lalo Schifrin. Trance-like depth and loveliness.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Randy Newman. I didn’t even have to think about it. Except it would be ridiculous to go on before him. Kinda like a being served a boiled egg before going to *insert Michelin star restaurant here*.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The high. I don’t drink or anything anymore. But when I’m in the middle of a gig and you start to feel that magic spell being cast, whenever it decides to show up, it is a feeling like no other. I live for it. The universe makes sense all of a sudden. It's a beautiful thing to experience. Being a musician is hard work, especially when you’re on your own, but it is worth it for those moments. Even the darkest days make sense then.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Everything else. Ok that’s not true. Loads of different hats to wear these days and I guess the most frustrating part is managing all the little jobs by myself. But I do have help and if I'm honest with myself I am learning a hell of a lot about myself in the process. Which is an excellent feeling. So I have kinda talked myself back out of it haven’t I? So I guess it’s fine? Obviously I’m not going to talk about social media because well… you know.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
“Keep going”. That’s really it. A few key people in my life have told me this one. It really is the best advice. I briefly played with Zigaboo Modeleste from The Meters at the end of his gig at the 100 club a bunch of years back. When I asked him how he’s managed it for this long he said “to love it, you have to just keep going”. It seemed like a casual remark at the time and maybe it was, but I think about it a lot. There have been long periods of my life where I really couldn’t get myself together. I was all over the place. But I kept going and things got better. I’ve been completely broke many times, and in despair too, but just around the corner something always comes to tease me and put a smile on my face again. And actually it's the despair and the sadness that came from it that informs many of my songs. There is a lot of beauty in and around the shadows of sadness. Ok I’ve gone off topic… but, like the man said… keep going!
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Matt Benson's debut album 'Sit Back Down Again' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.