Josh Matthews - Co-Patriot (Self-Released)

Alt-Folkie Josh Matthews is back with his new album, Co-Patriot. Following up on his last release, A-Sides, Matthews continues to expand his unique take on Leonard Cohen-like folk with a more modern and experimental twist. Even from the artwork, Co-Patriot, is obviously a more homegrown product, but while the resources may appear smaller, the ambitions are just as large.

The production of this album is comparatively more lo-fi than its predecessor, complete with a drum machine on some tracks, but Matthews’ songwriting and songs are still just as strong. The songs with the least instrumental accompaniment, like “Honest Man” and “Bag of Rocks”, work best here, with a sense of a weary soul emanating from Matthews’ voice, but some of the more experimental and lusher tracks work just as well.

The album is more consistent than his previous work, and he continues to astound with his growth. There is an even mood here throughout and even when covering obscure songs like “Yolanda”, everything here just makes sense.

As usual, the songs here are experimental in general, even at his folkiest, but whether it be unusual instrumentation or interesting sound bites, Matthews tends to stray purposefully from the beaten path, “and that made all the difference” as Robert Frost wrote. Co-Patriot will be released April 19th.