The second LP by Atlanta outfit Mattiel runs the full spectrum of rock’n’roll and then some
The second LP by Atlanta outfit Mattiel runs the full spectrum of rock’n’roll and then some
In 2017, the world got to know singer-songwriter Mattiel Brown and her band (guitarist Jonah Swilley, bassist Travis Murphy and drummer Jordan Manley) for the first time. Collectively called Mattiel, the up-and-coming quartet made quite an impression with their self-titled debut — so much so that they garnered an endorsement from Jack White. Since then, the hype surrounding the band has been nothing short of palpable. People are genuinely excited by Mattiel’s sound, which takes cues from rock’n’roll legends like The Ramones, The Rolling Stones and The Velvet Underground, and garage/punk icons like Patti Smith and The Clash.
Now, as we’re well into 2019, Mattiel returns with its long-awaited follow-up, Satis Factory. Billed as “a true rock’n’roll record”, the 12-track collection struts into the genre with a confidence that surpasses that of its predecessor. Naturally, it opens with the Western rock swagger of the auspiciously titled Til The Moment Of Death. “Step down, pull to the left/ Don’t forget to give it your best/ Hold on, let me catch my breath/ Took too long til the moment of death,” Brown sings over a dusty instrumentation, in vocal phrasing that recalls punk grand dame Patti Smith.
The rollicking Rescue You keeps the momentum going with one of the most
memorable opening lines on the album: “Well, I was born imperfect, but I got a lot of self-respect/ Not much pain that I care to resurrect.” This is promptly followed by lead cut Je Ne Me Connais Pas, a satisfying kiss-off to toxic masculinity (“Not my rodeo, not my Michelangelo/ You can keep your liquor and keep your tobacco”), and
Food For Thought, a bass-driven, half-sung, half-spoken number that will appeal to fans of Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett.
The album’s centrepiece, Millionaire, details Brown’s journey of self-discovery with the wordplay that also titles the record (“Did you expect a guarantee?/ Workin’ in that satis factory”). Elsewhere, Mattiel steps beyond the rock’n’roll territory, swinging over to the country side of the fence (Blisters) and back to 60s punk à la Patti Smith
(Berlin Weekend) before embodying the funky art-rock of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
(Heck Fire).
Quotable lyrics: “But don’t you forget, it wasn’t God who built me/ I need to submit it all for peer review/ Need more of my materials misconstrued” (Rescue You).
The verdict: Mattiel’s impressive take on rock’n’roll and staggering musical range make Satis Factory easily one of the most exciting albums of 2019. The hype is well and truly justified. Listen to this: Til The Moment Of Death, Rescue You, Je Ne Me Connais Pas, Millionaire, Heck Fire.