Reviewed by Chad Paulson
Listening to Matthew Sturm simply puts one at ease. As the day goes by and you are consumed by the ball of stress that is your life, simply pop in Matthew Sturm's CD Outside Dreams, and you will be put to ease with Matthew's sly chord progressions and relaxing lyrics.
Hailing from the Chicagoland area, Matthew is definatley far beyond his years when it comes to writing and arranging. He compares to the likes of Elliott Smith, The Counting Crows, and even the awe-inspiring Ben Folds Five. For years Matthew has been digging trenches with his 4 piece band, and you can definatley tell that the years of hard work and dedication paid off. Starting as a solo artist, Matthew has been clubbing and giging for years, trying to find the sound he has been looking for. I'm not sure if he's found that sound yet, but I definatley found the sound I was looking for when I poped Outside Dreams in the CD player. From song one, Matthew gives an unbelievable performance that literally cannot be described in words. His vocal stylings and unique chord progressions truly speak for themself, as they are true forces to be wreakoned with in the indie rock world.
His first single, "Outside Dreams", is a masterpiece. Combining guitar, piano, chimes, and even an accordian, Matthew really deserves an A for effort and originality. The song starts at a fairly slow and subtle pace and soon creeps up on you before you can say uncle. Just when you think the song is going to go a certian way, Matthew throws the road map out of the window and takes a sharp turn the opposite direction. His up and coming single, "Far Away From Here" is a chilling solo piece that really puts you at ease and gives you the overall "Matthew Sturm experience". Not since Kurt Cobain's rendition of Leadbelly's "In The Pines" did a solo acoustic piece give me the chills as "Far Away From Here" did. Much like "Outside Dreams", "Far Away From Here" starts out in a totally different mood than it ends up. Slow and without much "agenda", the song builds upon many chord progressions until it bursts with tension with the few final bars.
All in all, Outside Dreams is a must have for any true indie rocker. Get your stocking stuffers now ladies and gentlemen, and check for Matthew in a town near you this summer. If you happen to catch him in person, that is an experience in itself. Matthew has been known to give an excellent performance, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind autographing your copy of Outside Dreams if your really nice. I'm still working on mine, but I'm sure it'll come through.
MATTHEW STURM RESOURCES
There are many alternatives to the corporate music scene. The RIAA filed suit against Napster due to copyright infringement. Napster is a powerful tool that allows users to share MP3 files with each other, and is inteded to be used responsibly and legally.
The independent music scene has embraced the MP3 file format since day one. Used as a major distribution tool, MP3 files have helped boost many independent record labels' popularity as well as get the word across that independent rock is of high quality.
Below is a list of high quality independent record labels. SAUC encourages all MP3 advocates to listen and support independent and local music.
Below is a list of great places to get MP3 files. Remember to abide by SAUC's policies when downloading MP3 files in order to maintain proper MP3 legitamacy and integrity.
