Matt Creer – The Leeward Tide

Matt Creer came onto our radar thanks to a tweet by Chris T-T declaring his love for the Isle of Man singer songwriter’s latest track North Northwest. We listened, we agreed, we got in touch and Creer popped his new album The Leeward Tide in the post.

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As befits a biography that boast music credits working with the aforementioned Chris T-T, as well as Mike and the Mechanics’ Paul Carrack and Beverly Craven, on The Leeward Tide Creer straddles mainstream, independent music and folk with aplomb.

There is an immediate comparison with Seth Lakeman, who with the aid of a Mercury Music Prize nomination brought his Devon folk rock to a wider audience. Creer could quite easily do the same. In fact listening to this album I’m struggling to see why Creer isn’t headlining Cambridge Folk Festival and gaining regular UK airtime as Lakeman does.

Creer is getting there though. He’s made the top ten of the iTunes singer songwriter chart over 2014 and 2015 and at the time of writing The Leeward Tide was in the top 20 of the same chart just a day or so after release.

As well as the instant appeal of North Northwest, there’s the beauty of the harp on Flesh and Bone and the tender Islands that also stand out; as does Shout Me Down, which reminded me of Scottish based folk collective Southern Tenant Folk Union.

Another song that deserves a mention is Your Dancing Shoes, which reminds me of the smart observational lyrics of Somerset singer songwriter Nick Parker.

The Leeward Tide sounds polished and beautiful, especially on Flesh and Bone, but crucially it is not over produced. It still feels like a group of musicians in an Isle of Man bar or a friend’s living room performing an intimate gig.

It also feel very Manx. As someone who has never been to the island though I should clarify that it sounds like how I imagine its coastal and rural landscape to be. As calms after the storm go this is just about perfect.

8/10

by Joe Lepper

To Download The Leeward Tide and find out more about Matt click here.

 

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