Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Continuing in the tradition of sensitive Counting Crows/Dave Matthews Band-inspired guys with guitars and cropped hair, Matthew Thomas offers up 11 acoustic tracks. Like most aspiring singer-songwriters, Thomas never moves past reminiscing on failed/failing romances. The production values on the album are noticeably better than you might expect, but the songs don’t vary much in format from track to track, with the exceptions of stand-outs like “Overrated Life,” “Change” and “Wait.” Otherwise, you’ll be hit over the head again and again by a certain stylistic resemblance to one John Mayer and other adult contemporary masters of bland. That being said, Overrated Life isn’t entirely unpromising. It’s the stuff Top 40 dreams were made of three years ago.
— Emily Anderson - Cleveland Free Times
There’s a fine line between the music of Matchbox 20 and Dave Matthews and Matthew Thomas has found his niche walking that fine line. The eleven songs here on “Overrated Life” feel as familiar as an old friend. Thomas is blessed with a way of writing radio friendly songs that will appeal to a very large audience. There’s not much of anything here that will sound completely new to you but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the time because it is well worth the listen. The title track is very infectious as is the other ten tracks. - Ear Candy
“Overrated Life, the latest effort from Cleveland's Matthew Thomas slipped in my review pile completely under the radar. Thomas certainly isn't re-inventing the wheel on these 11 tracks, but songs executed like "Life Without You" don't need to! Straight forward and sincere. Makes me want to dig out my old Tonic and Better Than Ezra albums. Anybody know what happened to the guys in Jackopierce from back in the day? They may have moved to Ohio and started writing under the name Matthew Thomas (not a bad thing at all).”
- Leslie Schumann, Static Magazine
“The debut disc from Central Ohio's Matthew Thomas, recorded at Cleveland's Lava Room, is full of gentle, earnest songs that are either odes to the special love he feels for a girl or yearning tribute to a girl who, for some reason, he can't have. They're the type of songs girls wish were sung about them, and the same college girls who go weak in the knees listening to John Mayer and Dave Matthews, hoping some day they'll meet a man as considerate and worshipful as they depict themselves in their songs, will enjoy…” - Anastasia Pantsios, The Cleveland Free Times
Discography
LP- Overrated Life
Songs on college radio:
Issues
Overrated Life
Just Ask Me
You Should Know
Life Without You
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Inspired by only the best lyricists and fueled by Billboards Chart topping rockers such as Matchbox20, 3 Doors Down, and Dave Matthews, Matthew Thomas is the new eager artists to hit the music scene. The Release of his debut album Overrated Life in the fall of 2005 and the great success it achieved at college radio only makes this assumption clearer. Growing up in Central Ohio, surrounded by a music oriented family, Matthew didn’t have to reach far to discover his passion and take it to the next level. Teaming up with producer Mike Brown of Lava Room Recording (Cleveland, Ohio) proved to be just the step Matthew needed to catch a little attention. Since the completion of the album, Matthew has commissioned the help of some of the industry’s top players in pursuit of radio and press to support his upcoming tour. Although Matthew’s music is full of up-tempo, feel-good songs, one does not want to be complacent of the lyrics.
“I guess the most intriguing part of music for me is the overwhelming power it has over a person. It always seems to be the friend that can help you through anything, or encourage you to take that next step. Powerful lyrics are the icing on the cake; to know someone out there has been through the same things you're dealing with can be a savior at times.” -MT
Links
