Halifax-based Matt Steele & The Corvette Sunset have just released their debut album, ‘Songs for Catherine Anne’. Frontman of punk group Split Lips, Matt Steele is branching off into his first solo project, with a full album of catchy tracks ranging from folk-infused acoustic tunes to upbeat pop-punk.
Steele has led up to the release of the album with two sample tracks, ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Responsible Man’. ‘Dangerous’ is a slower, acoustic-heavy track of regret and shame with introspective lyrics, a catchy chorus, and a building intensity that demands repeated listens – so much so that it’s been selected by the East Coast Countdown as the Producer’s Pick for the upcoming week. ‘Responsible Man’ is a polar opposite in terms of sound, an energetic pop-punk piece relying heavily on garage sound with an infectious beat worth moshing to, complete with section of lengthy guitar solos.
Beyond these two promotional early releases, ‘Songs for Catherine Anne’ offers plenty of memorable tracks. The album opens with ‘Giving You My Love’, a bright, hopeful love song, filled with upbeat positivity and folk-inspired guitar work. Following on this, ‘Songs For Anne Marie’ is a gentle acoustic track telling the story of unfulfilled feelings and failed attempts at romance. Another memorable track, ‘Mama Today’ is the album’s sweetest song for sure, a calm acoustic piece extolling a son’s love and devotion for his late mother, both sincere and somewhat sorrowful.
For the harder rock tracks, there’s plenty of material to enjoy as well. ‘I L O V E’ is an aggressively poppy song, featuring upbeat bass-driven rock built around the incredibly catchy chorus, with such easy lyrics to sing along to that it’s guaranteed to be a hit at any live show. On the less sentimental end of the album, ‘Rehab’s Gonna Be A Bitch’ is a hardline punk track, complete with hollered backing vocals, driving power chords, and a ‘live hard, die young’ mentality. While this song should stick out like a sore thumb in an album of what’s otherwise predominantly emotionally tender subject matter, its solid construction and energetic performance make it an endearing, if somewhat odd addition to the album.
From even a quick listen, it’s clear that Matt Steele has brought his A-game on this album. For an 8-song debut of a solo project, ‘Songs For Catherine Anne’ has a surprising number of memorable tracks across both of Steele’s preferred genres. Whether it’s more collaborative work or further solo efforts, Matt Steele has got us hooked and eager to see what comes next. We just hope Catherine Anne liked these songs as much as we did.
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