Music
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Matt Woods has a great soulful voice! His songs are solid, the production is good, and other reviews are quite positive. There are 20 songs on this debut (of which 8 are acoustic versions of tracks). We?ve been listening to ?Something Surreal? once daily for two straight weeks now. Here?s what we think: The CD starts out really strong and ends strong. Matt Woods? style reminds us a little of what an American Del Amitri would sound like. There are moments when we also hear a little Matchbox 20 influence. Highlights: ?Misconception? (both regular & acoustic versions), ?Lyndal? (both regular & acoustic versions), ?Never Too Late? (both regular & acoustic versions), ?Dream? (both regular & acoustic versions), ?Gone? (acoustic version), ?Blow Away? (acoustic version), ?Bottled Up Inside? (acoustic version), ?Hiding? (acoustic version), and ?All About Her? (acoustic version). We do have to add that we prefer music that is a bit more unique but nevertheless, this is a very pleasing effort... just ask his legions of fans on MySpace. - Stacy Sardelli
If you have a yen for the adult oriented rock so popular in the colleges in North America, then this is the CD for you. Working in the same idiom as Counting Crows, Matchbox 20 and the Barenaked Ladies, young buck Matt Woods has the voice and the songs to lift him up the ladder. His debut album, Something Surreal is chock full of radio friendly anthems, any of which would sit happily on a US teen angst TV show soundtrack with Bottled Up Inside going all John Mayer on your ass, and the driving power pop of Gone is just made for listening to in the car, driving down some long, lonesome highway, a sweet young thang at your side and an angry father with a shotgun on your tail. I can think of no reason why Mr. Woods wont be a huge star he has talent and youth he’s even a bit of a rough edged pretty boy, so the evil emteevee would take to him like a shot. Now all we need is a windswept video for Hiding with lots of deep meaningful glances to camera, and it’ll be a shoo in. Ridiculously good. - Zeitgeist
vol. 20 (May/June 2005) MATT WOODS: Something Surreal: Matt woods skipped out on his senior year of college and graduation at Auburn University to jump-start his music career in Nashville. Still only 21 years of age, Woods, proves he is a contender with Something Surreal. Falling into that mixed bag of pop/rock that includes Matchbox 20 and Fuel, Woods provides the voice behind the songs of friend and producer Chris Sevier. Highlights of the album include Offering, with sounds kind of like U2s With or Without You but with a jacked-up, power-chord chorus as well as Blow Away, both of which stick to the simple lyrics, toned-down verse and power chorus formula representative of the genre. - American Songwriter Magazine
Review of Matt’s new record Something Surreal: Adult-alternative rock singer/songwriter Matt Woods displays a flair for the dramatic on Something Surreal, an explosive, multi-guitar driven collection that would sound just as intense if he were simply strumming his acoustic to a small circle of friends. Woods muscular rhythm section inflates his catchy melodies and clever, earnest lyrics into arena rock proportion. If you go on farther than the first three cuts; the John Mayer-ish Bottled Up Inside, the go-for-broke fervor of Misconception, and the metal grandeur of Lyndall, he’s already scaled more heights than most Top-40 artists do on one disc. The neo-psychedelic Sus-chorus intro to Hiding and the pure power pop of Gone show Matt Woods keen capacity to shift gears without losing his identity. Is bigger better? In Woods case the answer is a definite yes. - Minor 7th Magazine
Singer/songwriter Matt Woods must be a busy man. I imagine his day is filled with decisions about what products he’ll lend his name to and what advertisements he’ll make. After all he’s got to be commercially successful to a ridiculous level right? Oh but he hasn’t hit the mainstream yet. The second that he does hell be blessed with all of the fame and Benjamins that come with it-the trick is that when write songs as genuine and sincere as this, you know that it wont get to the head of the artist. Good job and I look forward to the follow-up and the burgeoning success! - Smother Magazine
Discography
Something Surreal - Severe Records 2007
Something Surreal Acoustic - Severe Records 2006
Singles released to radio:
"Misconception" - 2007
"Never Not Too Late" - 2007
Photos
Bio
Matt Woods� band is built on the sonic landscapes of Graham Colton, Counting Crows, and Match Box 20, adding a distinct sense of accessible pop songcraft. The group was the initially the brainchild of the multi-talented front man himself and producer Chris Sevier (Eliot Morris, The Rewinds, The Livin� Legend, Chance). Woods� soul-infused collection of modern classics amply demonstrates the band's remarkably expressive range and power. From the potent and powerful pop of "Misconception" to the turbulent "Lyndal" and "Won�t Forget," each of the album's thirteen tracks is a showcase for the dynamic, melodic �Woods� sound, as well as the singular mark of intimate yet universal songwriting. This band has grown into a creative musical machine firing on all cylinders, with new music videos in the works, a radio promotion campaign underway directed by Tinderbox Music, and a reputable publicist in place. Woods' rich vocals have ripened in both strength and maturity after enduring rigorous touring, as have James Harrison�s heartfelt harmonies and chiming twin guitar arrangements. Binding these elements together is the inventive, propulsive rhythm section of bassist Rick Rodriguez and drummer Trevor Silva. With parts of the south plainly captivated by the band's sweeping sound, the next step will be to bring their music to the rest of the nation. Woods' message is universal," says drummer and band leader Trever Silva of the band's ever growing popularity. "What he's saying appeals to so many people." The grassroots word of mouth buzz continues to grow as the Severe Records marketing street team and dedicated fans everywhere embrace this inevitable artistic star. Download his music at apple itunes.
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