Matt Jones at The Creek and The Cave

Last night I headed up to Queens to see Michigan singer-songwriter Matt Jones play at The Creek and The Cave. Everything about Matt Jones was pretty laid back. He was wearing jeans, a plaid button-up shirt and a hat. His music is laid back too - kind of whimsical and folky. It was just him and his electric guitar (apparently he often has a violin player and possibly some other string instruments accompanying him), but he was still a captivating performer. One of the main things I noticed about him was that he played his electric guitar the way most people would play an acoustic guitar - with no pick, and with a relaxed strumming or plucking. He has a really pleasant voice with a slightly haunting quality to it. His way of singing is much like his way of playing guitar - loose, easy going and almost playful at times. The haunting quality of his voice and the wistful guitar come together to create music that is honestly beautiful. I know that sounds cheesy, but there's not really a better word for it than that.

One of my favorite moments of his performance was when he announced that he was trying to do less "smile-makers" and he wanted to play more rockin' music, so he was going to do one of his only depressing songs. Shortly into the song he forgot the words and he smiled and said "I've forgotten how to be sad."

In talking to him after the show, he seems like a very friendly, chill person. Though he currently resides in/around Ann Arbor, Michigan, we bonded over the fact that he lived in Minneapolis for a year or two. He liked Minneapolis, but apparently the cold and snow was too much for him, so he left.

Below is a sample from his EP, "Right to Arms," but he informed me that he has a full-length album coming out in May(ish) that would blow this EP out of the water. So expect to hear more about that closer to the time.

Hand Out The Drugs [mp3]
"Silence!" He Told Her [mp3]

I also want to give some praise to The Creek and The Cave. I liked it the first time I went there (especially because they gave us all free drinks), but if it weren't so hard to get to from my home in Brooklyn I think it would quickly become one of my favorite bars. It has a nice atmosphere and a pretty terrace. They also added a shuffleboard table since the last time I was there, so I played hand shuffleboard for the first time, which was fun even though I kind of sucked. And they had a pretty good DJ, which I'm often quite picky about. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend you venture out there. It's worth the trip.

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