We got to know Australian singer/songwriter Matt Charleston at the beginning of 2021. He had just released his debut album, Songs For the Weekend.
I have given that record many subsequent listens and organized short versions of my thoughts, track by track.
This release brings you in immediately with a classic country banjo on the intro of first track “Great Western Highway”.
Matt’s vocal tone brings to mind Silversun Pickups and Wheatus, two of my favorites.
“Eastern Side” feels like it has a little more punk influence in the chorus. This is markedly less “happy go lucky” sounding than the first track.
There is a really cool keyboard/synth bit during Nick Marcus’ verses.
“Living the Dream” starts out mellow and lets itself build, which I really appreciate.
One could call this a ballad, but Matt’s optimistic tone makes it hard to define it as such.
There’s an amazing guitar solo breakdown at the two minute mark that will pique the interest of any math rock fan.
“Lover’s Lane” feels like a folk song that is being sung around a bonfire.
There are many points throughout this album that feel like we’re listening to personal voice memos that we shouldn’t be privy to. Not because it’s inappropriate, but just deeply personal.
The features of Kayla Flaxman and Roxann Foley round out this track to make it my favorite on the LP so far.
“Dear, Lady” is exactly what you would think. A letter to the unknown object of Matt’s affection. His honesty and willingness to explore his personal struggles and achievements equally makes him a rare breed in my opinion.
The mixture of his urgent delivery and these particular chords would make Conor Oberst proud.
“Don’t Go Hating Me” gives off big Jack Johnson vibes without being quite as pretentious as Jack tends to come off.
This song finds Matt exploring different melodies and keeping things relatively calm. This is another track where the guitar solos really tie the whole thing together. Lewis Way brings an Isaac Brock quality to the table with his short feature.
I can only hope “Smallest Time” receives a music video at some point because it really sounds like it belongs in the soundtrack to a super feel good 90’s movie.
Aaron Gun’s unique vocals give this song a grittiness I wasn’t expecting.
“Saturday” showcases Matt’s ability to harmonize vocally with a feature from Nicola Dee. This sounds the most like a radio ready crossover pop song to me. This track is beautiful and over too quickly.
The final cuts off this record, “Love and Navigation” and “I Just Do”, end up seeming the most personal of all. This truly feels like we’re reading someone’s journal with their blessing. “I Just Do” is just as much an emo song as a country or pop song. Ace Enders would be happy to hear this finale to a great LP.
The title Songs for The Weekend couldn’t be more fitting. Not often does an album title really encapsulate the feeling of the songs as a whole.
The overall positivity is infectious. Even when Matt is discussing things that aren’t inherently “happy”, his delivery makes you smile regardless.
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