New York City, USA-based country and western singer songwriter Matt Basile releases new album, Feet To The Fire.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Tiffany Smith

The album opens with vibrant, jaunty fashion through With My Own Two Eyes and we get an early taste of Matt’s characterful vocals. It’s country and western for lovers of the classic, channelling flavours of Johnny Cash among others. Yet, there’s some unexpected elements in the mix, including hints of Leonard Cohen and Matt’s own unique flair.

With his lyrics, Matt takes on weighty modern topics, including the hidden relationship between working girls and their patrons in In A Man’s World and infidelity, abortion, and child abuse in the album’s six-and-a-half minute title track. He takes on these topics with the sensitivity they deserve, while cutting straight to the point with his storytelling.

Carefree Highway is the first of a few covers to feature on the album. The track, originally recorded by Gordon Lightfoot, is a cantering early album highlight. The album’s last leg sees Matt take on The Strokes’ Someday, and Blaze Foley’s If I Could Only Fly, before original album closer Stepping Stone.

Other originals include slow-burner East Coast Girl, the brooding The Iceman, the lingering Feet To The Fire, and the gentle The Queensboro Bridge.

If you’re a fan of country and western, then Matt’s new album is a must listen. If you don’t consider yourself a fan, you might be pleasantly surprised by it. Its emotion and narrative is universal, and Matt has a voice that you never get tired of listening to.

Joining Matt on the album are Rob Ritchie on pedal steel, Gunnar Olsen and Randy Schrager on drums, Bobby Hawk on fiddle, Justin Carrol on organ, Erick Eiser on piano and Wurlitzer, and Butch Norton and Mason Ingram on percussion. Feet To The Fire is out now and you can give it a listen below.