Alanna Matty

If anyone says anything about Alanna Matty, it should be this: the girl’s not afraid to experiment with her music. And while that usually ends with a terribly disjointed record, for Matty it’s paid off in huge returns.

Matty’s latest full-length effort, released at the end of August, is a wonderful blend of genres – at times folksy, at times jazzy, and times straight-up alt-rock. Matty perfectly describes the album, titled Ante Meridiem, on her BandCamp page, saying: “It seems impossible to sum up this album into a short paragraph, but I shall try. With a good mix of folk, pop, rock and some (very) raw acoustic songs, Ante Meridiem has a hard time being slotted into a genre, and is better left to be appreciated for what it is: a collection of emotions that only seem to surface in the darkness of the early morning.”

The record opens with the ska-meets-jazz-meets-folk track, ‘Pocket Song’, which proves that listeners should expect the unexpected.

‘Why Can’t I Sleep’ features a soft plucky guitar, quick cheery lyrics, a full chorus and warm honest lyrics. A hollow piano opens ‘A Song For My Love’, with vocals to match the beautifully eerie music. Then, a speedy electric guitar comes in wholly unexpectedly and suddenly the track takes on an alt-rock edge. Just like that, it’s gone from ‘skip’ to ‘repeat’.

AlannaMatty‘Loose Change’, a stand-out track, puts the spotlight on Matty’s songwriting abilities. Lyrics like: “Did you ever lose your brain, I say / Did you ever feel a change in you / Did you ever want to know your place / Did you ever want to feel this way” work to empower and inflate the track.

A cooing guitar and eerily harmonized vocals give ‘Lullaby’ a ghostly feel, which is fitting as the lyrics paint the picture of a love lost: “But I’m still waiting / For what you’ve been saving / And I’ll keeping calling until you / Answer and I still love you / Even if you didn’t want me to / And I’ll keep waiting / For your call”.

Overall, Ante Meridiem is a masterpiece in musical exploration. The record is an exciting and enticing listen, and even the songs that slack by comparison are great. - RazMatazMagazine

As I hustled along Queen West in Toronto, delayed, no doubt, by the overwhelming construction and subsequent detours currently overtaking the downtown core, I was contemplating how best to sneak into the Drake Underground. I wanted to make sure I could secure a good spot, but given it was already 8:03 p.m., my main concern was to forgo my usual clumsiness and not detract from the music at hand.

Music had been slated to start at 8 p.m., with doors a half hour before, thus my expectant tardiness when I finally stumbled into the venue at ten past the hour. Needless to say, I was very surprised to walk in and find no less than five people in the room. When the music fired up 45 minutes later, I was quickly reminded of how important a good opener is, and I hate to say, that after feeling like I was watching a high school talent show, I almost left, leaving the night behind me. I was further presented with one of my pet-peeves: listening to the band, and more importantly, the drummer, sound check.

But, as soon as Alanna Matty and her band started playing, I was really glad I didn’t leave.

AlannaMatty-2Alanna is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter and film student. After hearing her songwriting ability on Friday night, I would suggest a transfer into a music program, because this young lady has a bright future in the industry. Writing music is a hard thing to get right, but she manages to do it with an ease and honesty that captures her audience within a second of her words.

Her lyric-writing approach reminded me a lot of Kate Nash (without the cynical British humour) and airs of Alanis Morrisette, and I found myself completely engaged and wishing there were more people there to enjoy it.

Regardless of whether this talented multi-instrumentalist was performing with the entire band, or standing solo on the stage with nothing but the smallest of the stringed instruments, there’s a wonderful, captivating quality that emits from her presence that keeps you listening and hanging on to every word.

Coupled with a unique voice and an exhibition of great control and execution, Ms. Matty is one lady I encourage you to spend your next Sunday afternoon listening to. She currently has an EP and cover album available for download, with a full-length album slated for release in the fall. - RazMatazMagazine

Who: Kodie Rollan, Gabi Evans, Alanna Matty and Band
Where: Drake Underground
When: Friday August 9, 2013
One Word: Soothing

This was my first time attending a show at the Drake Underground – a venue located in The Drake Hotel. Clever. I wasn’t aware that this boutique hotel served as a top-rated restaurant, bar, lounge, and dining experience. The route to this multi-purpose landmark was definitely one that I wouldn’t want to revisit again at night. Located in the downtown core of Queen St. West and swaying along construction, it is assuring to say that you will encounter some unusual individuals in a “sketchy” environment. However, it didn’t take out the adrenaline inside of me to see three incredibly talented budding musicians in Toronto.
Arriving at The Drake Hotel (after being informed that they were running late and to kindly relax on the couch at the very back – which was extremely comfy – for about half an hour) we were directed downstairs to the Drake Underground. I didn’t expect to see what I witnessed when entering the venue. It was a cool and soothing open-area lounge – couches aligned at the sides, a couple of tall tables in the middle and a spacious stage upfront comfortably fitting a large band. The only downside I’d say was that it was extremely dark. Perhaps that was the intention inorder to set the mood however, it was quite difficult being able to see the settings to my camera and by far – be able to eat. An O’Noir dining experience. When skimming through the venue to find an area to sit – I noticed that there were only about five individuals present. It’s always difficult getting a crowd to come out to a show your hosting and/or performing at so that didn’t really surprise me that much. Setting those flaws aside – I was there to enjoy some awesome music and that vibe was certainly portrayed throughout three musicians and a kick-ass band.
Opening Act: Kodie Rollan & Gabi Evans
I’ve previously seen both musicians perform separately, but never on-stage together as a duo act. I was curious to see what both Kodie and Gabi had planned as a setlist that both defines not only song choices as a solo artist but one that would succeed as a duo act as well. As a result they portrayed flawless original tracks together – it’s always difficult for solo musicians to collaborate on songs and be able to perform them together. It was great to see the connection between Kodie and Gabi both onstage and out – you really need a solid relationship with musicians you plan to perform events with. With a great amount of back-and-forth solo performances in the middle of their setlist (while the other performer stood back to the side) – it is without a doubt safe to say that these two aspiring artist have a great music talent that will only exceed here on end. Being only in their 20s, both Kodie and Gabi are able to jam out and have a great time on stage during upbeat songs while also presenting immense emotion through each lyric sung. It’s always important to connect with your audience no matter how large or small of a crowd it is – this is what I find many artists lack in their performances – I applaud both Kodie and Gabi for succeeding to engage me from the very beginning until the encore. I look forward to more duo-acts from these two – it’s a clever way to show what they are capable of not only as a solo performer but also as a featured artist. Keep on writing together!
Main Act: Alanna Matty and Band
I’m used to seeing Alanna perform as a solo artist and was shock when I saw that she also had a band. When talking to her – she mentioned that she enjoys playing both solo and with the band however, she finds that the band adds to the performance. I agree 100%! Alanna did a mix of originals and covers with the band and without it – needless to say the band killed it and her voice is impeccable. I did notice a difference in her performance and character once her band left the stage. As soon as the first song of hers played with the band I was ultimately rocking my head to the beat and fully engaged to her voice and lyrics – Alanna was moving to the beat and rocking that stage to bits. The shy, calm and smooth individual I had in my mind when previously watching her solo performances was ultimately transformed to a pure and outgoing front-woman with a vocal range I’ve never heard. It might be the vibe you get when you have other people on stage performing with you – but wow – it was epic. When listening to her you can quickly realize how incredibly talented she is as an instrumentalist (changing from guitar to piano to ukulele with no hesitation) and a songwriter. My favourite original song from her setlist was hands down “Distance” – where she encouraged us to watch her music video on YouTube, as what she claimed would “make us cry.” I did watch it, and Alanna being a film student herself, it’s no shocker to say that it was brilliant. Now is it that sad? You be the judge.

With my preference of Alanna keeping in close contact with her band and performing more with the band – it’s still a no-brainer that she is well on her way to a future within the arts. As many encourage her to leave film school and go further into music – I say why not do both? Gather up those networks in both fields and use it to your advantage. Keeping my eye closely on Alanna and seeing her evolve musically and in the film world - Music Vice