FEATURED CD - Lucid : Matt Stevens

[Duncan Glenday]

Another PE-Related Item:

Per SoT Dude:

Matt Stevens is a British guitarist who plays in the instrumental band Fierce and The Dead but has also released a few solo albums. His latest outing is titled Lucid, and it's his first release on the Esoteric/Cherry Red label. Helping out on Lucid are drummer Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson), Bass guitarists Lorenzo Feliciati (Naked Truth), Charlie Cawood (Knifeworld) and Kev Feazey, keyboard players Jem Godfrey (Frost) and Emmett Elvin (Chrome Hoof / Guapo), violinist Chrissie Caulfield (Helicopter Quartet / Crippled Black Phoenix), vibe player Jon Hart and Nicholas Wyatt Duke (Trojan Horse) who contributes spoken word. The album took three years to complete, and you can really tell that Stevens put a lot of love into it.

A well rounded album, Lucid has a little bit of something for everyone. Fans of King Crimson's mid '70s as well as their more modern material will love the herky jerky, complex prog numbers like "The Ascent" and "Oxymoron", each one filled with acrobatic guitar work, intricate bass lines and busy drumming. There are also the more atmospheric mood setters such as "Coulrophobia", "Flow", and "The Other Side", as well as the upbeat jazz-fusion styled pieces like the title track and metallic "The Bridge". Through it all, Stevens shows his mastery of the electric as well as acoustic guitar, wowing the listener with dissonant, jagged solos that border on heavy metal, and calming with lush acoustic tones and passages. "A Boy", "Street and Circus", and "KEA" are simply lovely pieces.

There are plenty of instrumental guitar based albums released each year that are all flash and no substance, but Lucid certainly isn't one of them. Matt Stevens is a talent you should definitely check out if you haven't already.

Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score: 4 Stars

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/revi...ntent&id=15949

[Musitron]

I really like that song. I have to add that album in my playlist.

[Matt Stevens]

I really like that song. I have to add that album in my playlist.

Thanks very much

[Shadow]

I really like that song. I have to add that album in my playlist.

Should be called ADHD

[Digital_Man]

The weird thing is my brother knew a guy named Matt Stevens or Stevenson or something like that who was a bit of a prog fan. I remember talking to the guy back around 1991 or so and he even knew about Van der Graaf Generator. Being that this Matt is in the UK it is highly unlikely it's the same person.

[Matt Stevens]

Should be called ADHD

It's bit of various tracks as a preview (although I'm sure you knew that, I know some prog is disjointed but....)

This is the long track from the album THE BRIDGE:



You can hear some full track previews here:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/lucid

[snowsnow]

I really enjoyed listening to that - impressive stuff!

[jlneudorf]

Excellent album.

Regards,
Jon

[Matt Stevens]

The weird thing is my brother knew a guy named Matt Stevens or Stevenson or something like that who was a bit of a prog fan. I remember talking to the guy back around 1991 or so and he even knew about Van der Graaf Generator. Being that this Matt is in the UK it is highly unlikely it's the same person.

Are you in Earth B? Perhaps our realities are different and we communicating through cross over reality tunnels?

[Matt Stevens]

I really enjoyed listening to that - impressive stuff!

Cheers. It was a MASSIVE project, getting all the musicians and writing the material. Then I had a massive break down during the making of it and that created this weird psychedelic edge to it.

[Matt Stevens]

Excellent album.

Regards,
Jon

Thank you Jon. It's appreciated. It's "weird stuff" but I'm really pleased with the reception. In the UK at least.

[Rarebird]

Interesting stuff and a nice cover.
The music reminded me at Philharmonie, sometimes.

[The Spikester]

Hi Matt - I hear you might put a band together to play the album live (in the UK). It sounds like a great idea and also a huge amount of work. Assuming you can get the business stuff sorted, who would be your ideal band members? I do of course mean in a fantasy type way - so as not to offend anyone you might actually ask! Cheers, Spike

[Trace]

Having recently seen Matt play at the Summer's End festival, I can confirm he doesn't need a band, although he does have to work a bit to achieve the 'full' sound.
Excellent album.

[Matt Stevens]

Having recently seen Matt play at the Summer's End festival, I can confirm he doesn't need a band, although he does have to work a bit to achieve the 'full' sound.
Excellent album.

Thanks very much. I was running around playing with the loop pedal and the acoustic at that gig was a lot of fun

[Matt Stevens]

Hi Matt - I hear you might put a band together to play the album live (in the UK). It sounds like a great idea and also a huge amount of work. Assuming you can get the business stuff sorted, who would be your ideal band members? I do of course mean in a fantasy type way - so as not to offend anyone you might actually ask! Cheers, Spike

We're gonna do a one off gig at some point. The ideal band member will probably be the guys on the record, I was so lucky to have absolutely the perfect people for the tunes. I was so pleased the way it came out It will actually be quite a few of the guys on the record for live thing. Member of Knifeworld and The Fierce And The Dead. My mates basically

I suppose my dream band would be Bob Mould fronting the Mahavishnu Orchestra

[Matt Stevens]

Interesting stuff and a nice cover.
The music reminded me at Philharmonie, sometimes.

I'll check them out. The cover is by my fried Carl Glover who has done work for everyone from Steven Wilson to Led Zeppelin and Marillion.

This is Carl's website:

http://www.alephstudio.co.uk/

[Esoteric]

Rosfest really should book Matt-- Ive mentioned it to george before--hes brilliant and an easy one to do!!! and would go down a storm.

Anyone that would like this in the US or Canada --will do you a deal at £10 including postage as well if you can pay on paypal. Send me a PM if interested.

[Matt Stevens]

Rosfest really should book Matt-- Ive mentioned it to george before--hes brilliant and an easy one to do!!! and would go down a storm.

Anyone that would like this in the US or Canada --will do you a deal at £10 including postage as well if you can pay on paypal. Send me a PM if interested.

Thanks Vicky. I'd love to play Rosfest.

[snowsnow]

Just ordered from Amazon - looking forward to listening to it!

[Matt Stevens]

Just ordered from Amazon - looking forward to listening to it!

Thanks very much. Hope you enjoy it.

[zombywoof]

This is a very, very good album. Love the heaviness and tunes!!

[Matt Stevens]

This is a very, very good album. Love the heaviness and tunes!!

Thanks Ian. I was just impressed that this post has had 666 views

[Pangolin]

"...my dream band would be Bob Mould fronting the Mahavishnu Orchestra".

+1. Mine, too, Matt.

But that is surely territory that's yours for the taking….!

[Matt Stevens]

"...my dream band would be Bob Mould fronting the Mahavishnu Orchestra".

+1. Mine, too, Matt.

But that is surely territory that's yours for the taking….!

I'm on it