Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews

Matt Thompson Accelerate Review by Gary Hill I am very much not the demographic for this music. It's set in the modern sort of pop sound that is heavily over-produced and relies on sounds that don't exist in nature. So, the very fact that I can write about this in a positive light at all should tell you a lot. This does suffer from those trappings, but there are enough charms here to make it work despite them. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023 Volume 3 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review

Devil's Dance While this is very much over-processed, feeling so artificial, there are some solid songwriting things here. A lot of it just feels so fake that it lacks anything that resonates on a human level. That's a shame because there are some interesting instrumental melodic vibes. This could have been a better song with a lighter hand on the production.

U Don't Get 2 (radio edit) Although this is over-produced, as well, it's not to the level of the opener. The vocals feel more real, and there are some symphonic vibes here that are a little more organic. This is dramatic and definitely stronger than the song that came before it.

Mean to Me (radio edit) I really love the almost tuned percussion sound that gets this song going. The tune has more of a stripped back approach. It's another that skates the line between over-produced and organic. It definitely presents a different angle. It works pretty well, too.

Leave It Haunted (radio edit) This has a cool groove to it. It also has a parental advisory, so not sure how it's a radio edit. Well, that's assuming I heard the lyrics right. If I did there is an "f bomb" dropped. I dig the synthesizer sound on the tune.

Glimmer No big change, this is a good song, but nothing that really stands out. It's heavily produced modern pop music that feels electronic and soulful.

Ridiculous (radio edit) The guitar on this feels more organic. The track has more of that electronic, produced thing at play, but in a much less prominent way. This is a big change, and a good one at that. It's one of the best pieces here.

Problem for Me There is almost a house or techno angle to this cut. That manages to elevate it beyond some of the other stuff here.

Say It Out Loud This is another that gets into the over-processed zone. Yet, it works better on this tune. There is an electronic groove to it that seems to fit the artificial nature of it.

Accelerate The title track comes in feeling more organic and funky. The cut has a tasty groove. The vocals at times get heavily over-produced, but it's only momentarily. This gets some seriously rocking stuff added to the mix later. This is a highlight of the set, really. It even gets a little spacey at times.

Soldiering No big change, this has that soulful electronic vibe. It's pretty standard modern pop fare, but it does work pretty well.

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