Matthew Shaw review

Matthew Shaw : Convenience Reviewed 11.21.05

Matthew Shaw released his EP, Convenience, on November 15th, giving Seattle 5 new unique songs to enjoy. This is a collection of ambient and infrequent beats, soothing and candid vocals, progressive ideas and is similar to the Matthew Shaw we heard on ‘Ghosts in the concrete’.
This EP reflects Matthew’s displacement from the normal Seattle music, and shows that he is continuing to be in a league of his own. Young Shaw is often compared to musicians such as Bright Eyes, The Postal Service, John Vanderslice and Death Cab for Cutie. These are all musicians of stature, and push the notion of success for Shaw’s music.
Though I feel like this is great music and above average for the NW, I also feel Shaw has not moved forward much since his last album. Just by taking a quick listen the first time I received the album, I noticed that the styling is all too similar to his first release. Shaw has a unique style of music that isn’t common in the NW, but needs to continue moving forward and growing in his musicianship in order to keep on the edge of what’s to come. My hopes for his next full length are to hear a new side of Matthew, but not to lose the one we know now. A good mixture of new and old that will create something unexpected.

Reviewed by Jacquee.