Have you ever had that feeling when you first listen to an artist and you just know in your heart that they are destined for amazing things? Well that’s exactly how we felt when we first listened to River Matthews’ brand new album, “Imogen,” which we are sure is going to absolutely take over once it is released in a few days.
For those who haven’t yet heard of the singer behind the music, River Matthews is a music therapist and songwriter who recently signed to Nettwerk. He may only be a relatively new artist but he is one to watch for sure. After making waves with his debut EP, the musician is gearing up to release a new eleven track album which we were stoked to be able to review before it drops on 16th February.
River has worked with some big names during the course of his music career so far including singer and songwriter Jamie Scott and Rag ‘N’ Bone man who he supported on his sold-out, “Human,” tour.
But if his upcoming album is anything to go by then he will be selling out his own tours in no time!
So without further ado, here is our track-by-track review of, “Imogen,” by River Matthews:
Sunshine
The first track on River Matthews’ new album is a song titled, “Sunshine,” which is every bit a sunny and happy track that is sure to leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. Reminiscent of the likes of George Ezra or even Hozier, this track is a perfect combination of feelgood lyrics and a catchy beat which will have your feet tapping in no time.
Undo Ordinary
“Undo Ordinary,” is only the second track on, “Imogen,” but it is already a firm favourite of ours. From start to finish, it has a very chilled vibe to it which is unlike anything in the charts right now. There is no doubt that this is a unique song which is sure to make River stand out from the crowd in the best way possible.
Feels Like Morning
The third song on, “Imogen,” is another favourite of ours. Similar to the previous track, it has quite a unique sound to it which we absolutely adore. Giving off a rather therapeutic and cool, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” feel, it is definitely a refreshing sound for our ears and we aren’t ashamed to say that we’ve had it on a constant loop ever since we first heard it a couple of weeks ago.
Fool For You
River said he listened to a lot of Oasis when he was getting started in the music industry and out of all eleven songs on this album, “Fool For You,” is the one which showcases that influence the most.
It’s the perfect track to listen to while you’re swinging in a hammock and sipping on a cocktail in the summer sun. Now we know summer is a few months away but there’s no harm in making a start on your summertime playlist and we definitely think this song should make the cut onto it.
Pretty Thing
“Pretty Thing,” is fittingly a very sweet and pretty song which seems to highlight how unique yet still amazing River’s vocals are. It is a very simplistic track, featuring only the musician and a guitar and the absence of any special effects really highlights how much natural talent River has.
Butterflies
The central song on River’s new album titled, “Butterflies,” is more upbeat than previous tracks yet it is equally as pretty. The pitch perfect harmonies and the cool almost folk-sounding vibe of it makes it a really uplifting track which we are so happy that we got to listen to ahead of its release.
It’s a song we never knew we needed but now that we’ve heard it, we certainly won’t be turning it off in a hurry!
Over
“Over,” begins with the gentle sound of a guitar which is in keeping with the relaxed and intimate feel of this entire album. At just over two minutes long, it’s a short but sweet track that you definitely will not want to be skipping over.
Never
“Never,” is undoubtedly one of the more upbeat songs on this eleven track masterpiece, as it layers sound upon sound to create a feelgood song with a full production and killer vocals which we think could really go far in the music charts if it was ever released as an official single.
River’s hoarse voice paired with the almost euphoric backing track are a perfect combination, and if you only have the time to listen to one song from, “Imogen,” then you should make sure that it’s this one… Trust us on this.
Bye Bye Bird
“Bye Bye Bird,” is another track on this album which features a fuller production. Although it isn’t as euphoric sounding as the previous song, it definitely lifts you up and leaves you feeling relaxed and happy. It starts off slow with a simple melody and River’s voice but it doesn’t take long to build into an incredible, jam-packed track which we won’t be forgetting any time soon.
Stars
The penultimate track on, “Imogen,” is just as beautiful as the name suggests. The gentle sound of the guitar in the background really resembles twinkling stars in the night sky and we bet that if you were to close your eyes while you listened to it, it wouldn’t take you long to fall asleep. Not because it’s a boring song because it most definitely isn’t, but because it could easily fall under the category of a lullaby. It’s so simply beautiful and we are so glad that River decided to put it on his album.
House Of The Rising Sun
Finally on, “Imogen,” is a mesmerising cover of The Animals’, “House Of The Rising Sun,” which we love even more now after hearing River’s different take on it.
This classic may have been covered by many different musicians throughout the years but whether you’ve heard it before or not, we would definitely recommend that you listen to this version because it is actually quite brilliant and one of our favourites for sure.
And there you have it. “Imogen,” really ebbs and flows from intimate performances to full production and from lyrical masterpieces to toe-tapping beats. Overall, it’s a brilliant album which we really had fun listening to and we can’t wait for all of you to hear it too.
If you haven’t done so already, make sure to pre-order your copy of the album now so that you can be the first to get it when it is released on 16th February. You can pre-order it through iTunes, here.
Have you pre-ordered your copy of Imogen yet or are you planning to? Let us know on Twitter at, @CelebMix!