Nobody wants to be sad in the summer. Those two things feel inherently at odds. Mat Hannah agrees, but that doesn’t stop him from playing with that dynamic as much as he can on his debut solo EP Back to You.
The EP sees Little Cities’ lead guitarist stepping out on his own, moving away from the more synth-laden pop-punk influences that the group is known for. Though not without the catchy hooks we’ve come to expect from Hannah, they’re accomplished in a way that leans far more heavily into straightforward pop. The title track’s simple guitar plucking embodies the male pop staples of today—Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes.
The recording process followed a growing trend in the way musicians have learned to collaborate from great distances—opposite sides of the country, in this case. Hannah co-wrote the EP with producer Davor Vulama.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” says Hannah. “He’s a pro at what he does, which has allowed us to push through the limitations of distance and technology. We wrote these songs through phone calls, emails and Zoom meetings, and it has been super rewarding to put together the project while on opposite sides of the country.”
Lyrically, Hannah has fun playing with juxtaposition. “Unlucky,” the EP’s lead single, has Hannah cursing all of the bad luck that’s been heaped upon him, and turning to any and every superstition to deal with his heartbreak. Despite such a dim premise, there’s a triumphant feeling to the chorus—the way it builds, the layered vocals.
Though the closing track, “Watermeloncholy,” is perhaps the funnest execution of this. Hannah leans into this sunny Cali-boy persona (think fellow Canadian boy band b4-4), singing about a breakup over a totally addicting hook. Fellow islander Vince the Messenger makes an appearance in the bridge, as well. If the track “Not Today” is the perfect tropical backdrop to a beach day, this song is what you crank up and sing in your car on the trip there.
So, despite the focus on breakups and hard times, Hannah succeeds in keeping things pretty sunny. Though, it’s hard to imagine things another way. It’s clear he’s in his element when working with ear-catching melodies, and even at the EP’s calmest, Hannah still delivers choruses that will stick with you long after you’ve listened.