If you were a fan of the raw, intimate indie folk of last fall’s Luma EP by Matt Epp, you’ll probably be disappointed by the Winnipeg singer/songwriter’s follow-up album. The subtlety and adventurousness of that recording has been supplanted by generic roots-pop that feels calculated to get him into regular radio rotation. All the urgency and emotion have been smothered by the conservative production and surprisingly soulless performances.
A lot of the blame lies with Sheepdogs’ Rusty Matyas, whose attempts to shape Epp’s sound have sapped much of the songwriting’s emotion. Not only are the results frequently corny, but they also come across as insincere. There are moments when the adult contemporary stylings flatter the songs, but mostly they miss the mark. That’s a shame, because some songs could’ve been great if they’d been fleshed out with more imaginative arrangements and inspired performances.
Top track: Ready In Time
Matt Epp plays the Cameron House Thursday (July 2).
