An open letter to Matt Nathanson.

Dear Matt Nathanson,

It's about damn time.

Love, Maggie


So, news broke this week that Matt Nathanson is FINALLY releasing another single. Falling Apart is going to usher us into the summer! I can only consider this the best birthday present ever, since Come On Get Higher long ago entered dangerously overplayed status for me, so this news leaves me positively thrilled.

I was going to make a pro and con list, but can see nothing but pros thus far. It's the perfect summer song. Great energy, catchy, perfect for highlighting during the billions of tour dates that he has lined up. It'll take me awhile to get tired of hearing it during every tv performance that he does, and the pictures from the video shoot look promising. I love when a series of videos has some sort of continuity to them, and since the same model that was featured in the Come On Get Higher video was also hired for this one, I have incredibly high hopes!



There has been other stuff going on. Life and love (and lack thereof) and things of that nature, but this new single is the best news I've gotten all week! (The second best news was the announcement of the In the Heights tour, but that is another entry all together and will be coming soon!) For now, go ahead and get acquainted with this song before you start hearing it on the radio and wondering who the hell is singing it.

This was bound to happen eventually.

Alright, this one is totally for me. To save others from the depths of my obsession, I'm putting this behind a cut! But click it, I promise you entertainment.


More...



Anyone who knows me know that I'm beyond obsessed with Matt Nathanson. I could (and most of the time do) ramble on and on about how awesome he is for days on end. I thought about compiling a best of his performances playlist, but literally, I think I'd pull performances of every song he's EVER done. He's that good, and I cannot choose. So, I thought as an alternative, I'd throw together (in no particular order) some playlists of the things that make going to see him so incredibly fun: the hilarious banter, and the random, sometimes completely off the cuff and damn entertaining covers. I love this guy!



The videos above represent some of the best moments of banter from some of Matt's live shows. There is definitely no shortage of videos here, and even a site that features quotes from his shows. I've never come across an artist who plays off of audience comments as flawlessly as Matt does. He's also known for his impromptu songs about the city he's in. The infamous Philadelphia song is feature on his Myspace page as well as the Live at the Point record. Other honorable mentions include Oh, Elon, and the San Franciso song. Good times. Enjoy!

1. A fun few minutes near the end of one of his hometown shows in San Fran. Features "...I have cds for sale too, but you know what? Just burn them." "You want to lick my olives? This is dirty and wonderful! This is a bullseye, baby. I want you to shoot your love rocket right to me." "This is a song that someone else wanted to hear. I'm gonna play it, and then I'm gonna fucking ROCK YOU!"

2. If you go to a Matt show, get ready to hear people screaming out covers for him to do. Sometimes he's down, sometimes he's not. Listen to the following exchange as someone totally screws up requesting "When Doves Cry."

3. There are some shows where saying fuck and vagina all the time are just not welcome. This is one of them. Watch as Matt introduces "Lose Myself In Search Of You" in the most PG way he knows how. "This is a song about a monster truck that cheats on another monster truck!" "You're a wanton truck. You're a very loose truck. You need your bearings tightened....truck."

4. Matt deconstructs Enrique Iglesias' song Hero. I suppose this one could go under the covers list, but as he breaks down the lyrics it just gets funnier and funnier. "Would you run, if I slipped you a roofie?" "What the fuck, you just asked this girl to dance and run. She's exhausted. Then you ask her to cry. You're such a dick." "I'll tell you what, he sings the shit out of that song, I haven't cried like that since "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain."

5. Matt has a song called Angel that sounds suspiciously like Hey There Delilah. Here, he explains why.

6. The Care Bear rant. Probably my FAVORITE bit of Matt banter ever. I'm not sure why. I think it's just how genuinely frustrated and angry he gets about Grumpy Bear. "This was given to me by a guy, a fan...who apparently thought I was the biggest dick on earth!"

7. There's a ton of banter here from a show in a parking lot in Symrna. He hilariously banters back and forth with an incredibly drunk guy who can't keep his mouth shut, "Let's pass the talking stick to me. I'll be your man, but just be silently by my side," talks about the Rock of Love, "He's trying to date a bunch of women who are stuck in 1983," Hulk Hogan's divorce, and being an emo kid, "Inside I have a darkness that you don't know...that's dorky."

8. Intro to Laid: "This is like an orgy situation, and if one person doesn't pull their weight, the orgy suffers." "I see that only the sexy people are singing. Only the people that have pleased their lovers during sex are singing."

9. More banter from Symrna, this time pulling out a G rated intro to Come On Get Higher after he notices a kid in the crowd. "I could take a little less guitar, a little more of the girl asking to make out with me, and a little more of the vocal." "I feel like I'm in Bambi. How old are you, little man. 5? This song is about ice cream! This song is about ice cream and togetherness, and how mom and daddy made you!"

10. Matt does not respond well to being told what to do by a fan. "I didn't get the email that said I do whatever you want."

11. This is from the show that I went to in Cleveland. First he quiets the largely drunk crowd who braved the ice storm or the "snice storm" as he called it to get there, "I can't hear a thing you're saying....especially when you're yelling other peoples songs." Then explains to us all the plot of The Hills Have Eyes 2, which was featured that month on HBO. "Has anyone ever seen the movie The Hills Have Eyes 2? Don't ever watch it."

12. A pretty girl catches Matt's eye and the following ensues as he discusses "The portal of hot" where she came from. "She's just walking out the door, just hot and...leaving." Then he discusses Direct TV, popping your collar, and murdering and eating children.

Bonus video! (Only because it's not able to be embedded:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYNnkP2nrdw

From Irving Plaza in NYC. The intros to Come On Get Higher are always dirty, tmi, and hilarious. "Fuck you, I don't jack off into socks! I've seen other...I haven't SEEN anybody do it, I've heard tour stories..." "You want to be my sock? Thank you. I can't even see you but I love that your vagina is like a sock. No, no. Your vagina isn't like a sock...fuck I can't talk today."



Now on to the covers! They're not always fully realized, and some of them are completely random and off the cuff, but you're always guaranteed a few classics from the 80s and later when you're at a Nathanson show. There are tons of these. Way more than I even could post here. He's always covering something.

1. Matt busts out a little R Kelly and then expresses his desire to be able to cover a Mariah Carey song, We Belong Together. "What I like about that song is that like 6 people wrote it. That's talent...kind of."

2. Laid, also known as "The Song". He will often point out during a show if he is or isn't going to play "The Song." It was covered by him for the American Wedding soundtrack, and is by far a fan favorite. "If you think about it, the third line of this song is the best line ever written by anyone ever in a pop song," and he clearly loves to sing that line.

3. Armageddon It / Livin' On A Prayer: What I love the most about this is the dorky guitar boy rambles about the key change in Armageddon It. Adorable, and he warns the crowd "Don't get bored!" As he breaks it down, then segues into Livin' On A Prayer. "This sold 17 million records, you should all know it." "I play Utah a lot...you sing like Mormons. This is an emotional time for Tommy and Gina, I think they deserve a fucking sing a long."

4. Laid is the most famous cover, but Don't Stop Believin' is probably the only one that garners a bigger crowd reaction. Who doesn't love to sing this song?

5. Paradise City. This video is totally worth it for the surprised reaction when Aaron Tapp takes over.

6. This is another one from my show! Similar reaction as the one in the Paradise City video, but it all falls apart when they get to the bridge and Matt decides they can't hang.

7. Kids In America is now a staple in the center of Detroit Waves, and I love it every time.

8. Jesse's Girl - This comes at the tail end of Princess almost every time now, so you have to fast forward a bit to get to it. But for some reason, he laughs through it every time he does it.

9. Romeo and Juliet - I was lucky enough to see this one live as well, but this version isn't from my show. It's also available on the Live at the Point cd. So good.

10. I'm not even sure what song this is...in point of fact, neither is Matt.

11. Kiss Me Deadly - Clearly this one wasn't planned.

12. Hungry Like The Wolf - from the Rock Boat. He's been doing this one for awhile, usually as a smarmy lounge version... sometimes it's hard to believe that he doesn't drink.

13. La Bamba - This song is so obnoxious, but it's cute when he stops, the audience keeps singing and he just goes "Oh fuck."

14. Dancing With Myself - this is one of my favorite songs, and while the Nouvelle Vague version is by far my favorite, watching Matt bounce around to it is just as fun!

15. Take Me Out - another totally impromptu one, thanks Aaron Tapp for pointing out where it was headed.

16. Heaven - Another tangent about awesome chord changes.

17. Lose Yourself - The sound isn't so great for this one, but Matt talks about battle rapping, and really, who doesn't know all of the words to this song anyway.

18. Hangar 18 - It's a Megadeath song, and Matt's alternate version of singing the ingredients off of a soup can are pretty funny, as is his chatter about the 18 minute long guitar solo.

19. Lost Without You - Apparently not a fan of Robin Thicke. "Do you know that song? No? Good for you. Stay away from it!"

20. Since You're Gone - Totally off the cuff and another figuring it out on the spot one.

Whew, I feel better having gotten all of that off of my chest.

It's all in the name:

Matt Nathanson
Matt Morris
Matt Wertz
Matt Strief
Mat Kearny
Matt Cusson
Matt Costa
Matt White
Matt McIntosh
Matt Woods

It seems to me that a certain name seems to mean you're predestined for singer/songwriterness. It's odd how in your life, certain names will always be associated with a certain stigma. For example, I've never met a guy named Corey that I haven't absolutely loved. I've never met a Patrick that hasn't been disgustingly hot. (Heh.) Nikki and I were talking about the artists I've been picking up due to my obsessive Pandora listening, and its odd how there are so many musically talented Matt's out there!

However, Pandora has also brought me to a host of other artists, namely Andy Davis. His song "Please Turn Red" is my newest obsession. It's gorgeous and sad and amazing.

take some notes, john mayer

I was reading Matt Nathanson's latest blog, and a bit of it struck me. (He types like an ADD 12 year old, so I did some purely technical editing here.)

There are rare moments when i feel confident in my job as a songwriter, as a singer, as a musician. True, pure confidence, and it is super empowering, and it always leads to writing more songs. There is this rad momentum that goes along with true confidence that you can't get any other place. It doesn't last, but if you stay out of it's way long enough... that's where the songs come from. That's where you allow yourself to just ride creativity and really cool shit happens.

The flip side to this, unfortunately, is more common. Being insecure, being scared, and feeling entitled. Seeing success in others, ignoring all the good shit you have and getting pissed because you feel like you deserve more.

That's my default setting.

It takes a lot to see that this thinking is a dead end, and even when I do, it doesn't stop the thoughts from coming. But this is all pretty human stuff. Everybody goes through this in one way or another. What i am telling you is not a revelation.

Every time I feel entitled, every time I start thinking I am not getting what i deserve in this business. I am put in my place by the music. There is always a record, or a song that blows my mind out of my head. That reminds me I still have a very long way to go before I'm allowed to feel entitled to anything. I guess that's what great art does though, it puts things into perspective, and at the same time, it kicks out the walls. It blows your mind...humbles you, and at the same time it lights you up and makes you feel completely unstoppable.


It's just interesting to me that someone who DOES deserve more than he gets out of the industry manages to keep this perspective, when apparently there comes a point where you have all of the success that you could want and still manage to come off like you're entitled to more of it. Maybe that's an attitude that comes along with making decisions that get your personal life splashed across the tabloids, I'm not sure. Maybe it comes along with falling in "love" with high profile blondes, running over the people that helped to shape you in to who you are, and alienating the fan base that helped to fund an enviable guitar collection and a watch fetish. If that's true, that high profile success turns you into a person who has to actively try to convince others has not turned in to a douche, then I hope the Matt Nathanson's, Ari Hests, and Jason Mraz's never get there.

Couple of things.

My Matt Nathanson obsession is officially out of control again. I blame the Deep Rock Drive show from last night which kept me up way too late on a night that after I'd been up since four am. Bottom line is this. He's adorable, disgustingly talented, and hilarious. So I give to you just one of the many awesome songs he did last night - Detroit Waves. I only recently came to realize how much I love this song, and I'm so used to the versions with Kids in America thrown in there that I try to add it to the album version when I listen to it now. Loooove.



In other news...there is no other news. Things at work are okay and boring and frustrating and kind of awesome all at the same time. Relationships and friendships are teetering on the edge of failing, growing stronger, etc. I have an out of control crush on someone which is always a nice way to pass the time. At the same time, I recently came to terms with the fact that my one shimmering moment of maturity and selflessness late last year, when I hugged someone goodbye and wished him luck and told him I just wanted him to do whatever made him happy, even if it included moving states away - was a complete and utter lie. I dealt with the heartbreak of it all then, and I moved on fairly easily, but I think that I'm about to go through it all over again and I have no damn idea why.

On the creative front?

....

Yeah.

Nikki and I need to have a brainstorming fest and help get the creative juices flowing, because I've still got nothing! And nothing is more frustrating to me than that. Grrr.

The Countdown is On

For Maggie! I can't wait to hear about how the show is. I love that you're so excited for it!

Matt Nathanson's new video for "Come On Get Higher". He's officially my Indie Artist Idol. Yahoo?! Wow.