The first single to be drawn from his upcoming debut record, due early Summer 2018, ‘Greatest Comedian’ displays a stunning leap forward in songwriting confidence from the already critically acclaimed young musician.
Gearing up for UK tour supporting Isaac Gracey, Matt will be debuting his latest music at Oxford’s O2 Academy April 21.
Produced in collaboration with Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado - credited with steering the lush sounding debut records from Whitney and the Lemon Twigs, as well as Father John Misty’s forthcoming material - and Londoner Alex Burey, ‘Greatest Comedian’ is Matt Maltese on his most ambitious form yet. Drenched with Californian atmospherics, achieved in no small part thanks to Rado’s Los Angeles flair, Matt’s sweetly drifting vocal is carried aloft by a swell of jubilant guitars, brass and drums.
Although a love song at its root, ‘Greatest Comedian’ stands apart from everything Matt Maltese has brought to the table thus far; it’s a bold statement of intent, still full of typically sardonic lines, now powered by towering instrumentation and hooks that demand repeat listens. A late addition to Matt’s as yet untitled debut record, ‘Greatest Comedian’ began life as a skeleton of a track written with Alex Burey in London, he goes on, “And then when I was working with Jonathan Rado, coming to end of recording the album, I played him it and he was like (in strong LA accent), “We gotta record that record”. And then he made it into what it is now. It’s definitely a kind of anomaly on the album but it’s the song I always wanted to to be able to make. My close, sometimes sardonic friend listened to it the other day, and she heard the first five seconds and went, “Hello 2002”. I thought - yes I’ve done it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMzPcmf25lw
Explaining the sublime cover art, shot by celebrated photographer Scarlett Carlos Clarke - known for her feminist photography, grisly collaborations with Fat White Family and publishing cherished not-for-profit zine Hate- Matt says, “A few months back, I met Elizabeth and Greg in a pub and, due to some uninspired stroke of inspiration I had, I asked them if they’d be in some photos for ‘Greatest Comedian’ and my album. They were strangers before the photos were taken, but then in the shots there was this touching, strange sense of familiarity coming through. They sat in these gaudy, dated rooms, and looked like everything at once – longing, loss, romance. One of my favourite photographers, Scarlett Carlos Clarke, took the photos and to her I’m very thankful.”
British but born to Canadian parents, and a focal point of the vibrant South London scene which includes Shame, HMLTD and Goat Girl to name but a few, Matt’s acerbic, witty songwriting brought attention from The FADER, The Guardian, Interview Magazine, NME, DIY, The Line Of Best Fit, and a score of other tastemaker titles both online and in print throughout 2017.
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