Matt Monoogian has experience as a sideman with the likes of Odd Years, Alanna Gurr and Lowlands, and now he's carving his own path as a solo artist. His debut album is called HIDE, and ahead of its release on November 6, Exclaim! has the premiere of the entire thing.
The songs are heartfelt and confessional, with Monoogian's melancholic acoustic tunes layered with subtly lush production that touches on atmospheric rock and simmering strings. The arrangements emphasize the pathos of Monoogian's touching tunes, as he explores issues like addiction and his epilepsy.
Sometimes, Monoogian's personal approach translates into slow-burning ballads like "Sentimental Sounds" and "Set Sail," and at other times, he picks up the pace for the bouncy two step of "Bottle Blues" and the alt-country gallop of "Wake Me Up."
"This album took over two years to complete, with ups and downs in the recording process," Monoogian explains. "I wanted it to be perfect. Regardless of what people think of it or how it's received, it's a success in my eyes. There's nothing contrived about it. I only recorded songs I felt had raw emotion."
Scroll past the musician's tour schedule to hear the whole thing.
Tour dates:
11/06 Guelph, ON - eBar *
11/07 Owen Sound, ON - Bleeding Carrot
11/08 Ottawa, ON - Raw Sugar *
11/13 Peterborough, ON -The Spill *
11/19 Toronto, ON - Saving Gigi *
11/25 Toronto, ON - The Dakota *
11/28 St. Catharines, ON - Mahtay
* with Lowlands
The songs are heartfelt and confessional, with Monoogian's melancholic acoustic tunes layered with subtly lush production that touches on atmospheric rock and simmering strings. The arrangements emphasize the pathos of Monoogian's touching tunes, as he explores issues like addiction and his epilepsy.
Sometimes, Monoogian's personal approach translates into slow-burning ballads like "Sentimental Sounds" and "Set Sail," and at other times, he picks up the pace for the bouncy two step of "Bottle Blues" and the alt-country gallop of "Wake Me Up."
"This album took over two years to complete, with ups and downs in the recording process," Monoogian explains. "I wanted it to be perfect. Regardless of what people think of it or how it's received, it's a success in my eyes. There's nothing contrived about it. I only recorded songs I felt had raw emotion."
Scroll past the musician's tour schedule to hear the whole thing.
Tour dates:
11/06 Guelph, ON - eBar *
11/07 Owen Sound, ON - Bleeding Carrot
11/08 Ottawa, ON - Raw Sugar *
11/13 Peterborough, ON -The Spill *
11/19 Toronto, ON - Saving Gigi *
11/25 Toronto, ON - The Dakota *
11/28 St. Catharines, ON - Mahtay
* with Lowlands
