Matt Mays has a new album and a new band. He's been away for a while, took a break, travelled the world and got himself together. He came back and recorded an album called Coyote and it is his best work yet.
We've heard all of that from the scads of other media outlets that are covering this new release. The record is going to be huge.
But what is really important here is that Matt Mays is one badass guitar player.
Matt arrived at the CBC Music studio for this session with a stripped down band. A small drum kit of kick drum, snare and cymbals and his two guitar slingers, Adam Baldwin and Jay Smith were carrying acoustics in place of Les Pauls and Marshall amps. Mays of course was rocking' a VOX AC-30 amp. I think Mays has a clause in his contract that states he must be plugged in.
The last time I recorded Matt Mays he was with El Torpedo and they were the closing act on a NXNE showcase at the Horseshoe Tavern. El Torpedo was without a doubt one of the loudest bands I have ever recorded. Pure power, turn it up to 11 rock and roll. So, when I saw the acoustic guitars I thought, wow maybe Matt has mellowed.
No chance of that. Stripped down or not, Matt Mays rocks. The studio was loud and the songs were all rocking. I was a happy camper. But the thing that this stripped down band did do for me was prove what an incredible guitar player Mays is. With the wall of sound guitars replaced with acoustics Matt's prowess as a guitar player could easily shine.
Check out his solo in “Dull Knife” for proof.
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