With over 2 million views on YouTube, independent sales over 30,000 albums, a 2013 European Blues Award and winning Best Solo Performer at the Memphis Blues Challenge, it appears that entire world is now discovering Matt Andersen.

Weightless, the new album, is infused with Andersen’s unparalleled dexterity on the guitar. With GRAMMY Award–winning producer Steve Berlin (Los Lobos, Great Big Sea, Tragically Hip) behind the boards, Andersen’s command of the blues and his distinctive soulful voice have been captured on record as never before.

matt andersen weightless

[bol_product_links block_id=”bol_52eec287e2db4_selected-products” products=”9200000022108488″ name=”MattAndersen” sub_id=”” link_color=”003399″ subtitle_color=”000000″ pricetype_color=”000000″ price_color=”CC3300″ deliverytime_color=”009900″ background_color=”FFFFFF” border_color=”D2D2D2″ width=”250″ cols=”1″ show_bol_logo=”undefined” show_price=”1″ show_rating=”1″ show_deliverytime=”1″ link_target=”1″ image_size=”1″ admin_preview=”1″]

Matt Andersen has been a storyteller trapped in a bluesman’s body. Now, with his new album, Weightless, Andersen’s lyrical craftsmanship shines through.

“The blues is a big part of what I do, and in my solo show some tunes are straight-up blues, for sure,” Andersen says. “But I would never stand beside B.B. King and say, ‘I play blues, too.’ None of my albums are blues albums — I’ve won blues awards with them, but I wouldn’t say they’re blues albums.”

The lyrical focus on Weightless becomes evident by just looking at the list of songwriters Andersen collaborated with on this album: Joel Plaskett, Tom Wilson (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings), David Myles and CBC Music’s Hockey Song Quest winner, Dave Gunning.

On his US debut album, Weightless, Matt Andersen showcases his talent for blending unique blues and roots influenced guitar playing with high quality songwriting. The Canada native has found popularity on YouTube with his powerful cover of Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine,” (see video below) but feels “that Weightless is a true reflection of where I’m at now as an artist. The singing, the playing and the song writing. I’m thrilled at how it all turned out.”

Grammy Award-winner Steve Berlin, who has worked with the likes of Los Lobos and Deer Tick, produced the 12-song album. Andersen says, “He treated each song as it’s own entity but managed to make the whole album flow together.” Neko Case’s guitarist, Paul Rigby, was another big name enlisted to take part in Weightless.

The album is officially released on February 4, but you can check out the exclusive premiere via American Songwriter Magazine below.

Matt Andersen
Weightless

Label: NoiseTrade
Release: 4 February 2014 (US) / 14 April 2014 (Europe?)

Website Matt Andersen: http://www.stubbyfingers.ca/


Ook op Blues Magazine ...