I adore Matt Nakoa. He’s a pretty man and I generally hate those. He’s really spectacularly talented and has an absurdly nice voice. And I’m generally kind of jealous of that. He plays exquisite piano, is a passionate and dazzling performer, is a great guitarist and in general is everything a rock star ought to be except truly famous. He’s even a nice guy.
I’m listening to his latest CD “A Dozen Other Loves” right now. Again. Heather and I were listening to it on the drive out to Oswego and there are just so many stunningly beautiful moments on this disc it’s unnerving.
I listen to a LOT of music. I’ve become pretty damned jaded by it. I’m surrounded by it and I don’t think it’s exaggerating to say that I can count amongst my friends some world-class musicians who are truly at the top of their game. Hell, Heather’s toured with Dar Williams and Rowan’s just been tapped to join the Carolina Chocolate Drops… some of my friends are at the top of anyone’s game anywhere. We travel in great circles.
Artem Bank Quinton Randall
And it’s been a while since a song broke my heart, or a vocal lick made me turn of the stereo and just think “HOLY SHIT”, or a rhythm change careened distractingly past me making my heart skip a beat trying to keep up. And those are moments in the same song. And they repeat. And your ear doesn’t get tired of it.
I’m not going to review the disc. I’m not going to wonder ad nauseum about how someone as good as Matt Nakoa ISN’T an internationally touring star and why his picture isn’t on every teenaged girl’s bedroom wall. I’m just going to say that “A Dozen Other Lives” fills me with an absolutely delicious sense of joy. If I’d been listening to this CD while making some bad relationship choices I’d have gone on with those bad choices because he reminds me of what it’s like to be young and in Love with someone who is patently bad for you.
I’ve got songs that TRY to express that, but I don’t do it one tenth as well as Matt Nakoa. You should keep this in mind if you’re looking for something to listen to. But perhaps make sensible choices BEFORE purchasing the music because the songs are going to make you want to do stupid things for Love. (his co-write with Neale Eckstein, “Stormchasers” probably exemplifies this)
