“It’s about the honest songwriting as opposed to trying to write a smash hit,” said lead vocalist Matt Layzell. “I think it’s about time that the industry went back to that.”
The Matin茅e recently released their first album since being signed to indie label Light Organ Records.
“[Light Organ] lets us do what we want to do and gives us the right advice and guides us. There’s a whole team of people that want to see us succeed.”
We Swore We’d See the Sunrise is an autobiographical soundtrack of the bearded brethren’s antics—they’ve known each other since high school, so there’s plenty to write about.
“When we first started the band it was just an excuse to get together and write songs,” said Layzell. He and band mates Matt Rose, Pete Lemon, Geoff Petrie and Mike Young mesh well creatively and are passionate about making music. Layzell credits this as the reason the band is determined to make a career.
“It really happened naturally that we stuck it out and we got to a certain point where we realized that we have something that people want.
“Because this band was based around getting together and having fun, we felt like there was a lot more reward in what we’re doing.”
The band’s single “Young and Lazy” is a nostalgic nod to the slow-moving, sunny afternoons of yesterday; an ideal addition to the summer playlist.
“L’Absinthe” depicts a deliriously debaucherous night while touring in Quebec, and the story is just as entertaining as the foot-tapping instrumentals.
Producer Steve Berlin brought new ideas to the table while working with the group on We Swore We’d See the Sunrise. “He pushed us to try things in the studio with our songs that I don’t think we were prepared to think of on our own.”
Layzell is most proud of “The Sinking of Greenhill Park,” mainly because The Matin茅e produced the track themselves. “It’s actually the story of a ship that exploded in the harbor of Vancouver in 1945. It’s a pretty cool story that not a lot of people know about.”
The group has a busy summer tour ahead and are booked for some festivals like Ottawa’s Dragon Boat Festival and the Keloha Music and Arts Festival in Kelowna.
“You can’t beat playing an outdoor stage when people are already stoked to be at a festival.”
One venue the band looks forward to playing is Tinhorn Creek winery in B.C.’s Okanagan. “They have an amphitheatre built right in the vineyard and you just play right there and everybody’s in the grass, drinking wine.”
Come winter the group plans to work on their next album. “You have your whole life to make a record, then you have a couple months to make your second one,” laughed Layzell, quoting a familiar phrase in the music industry.
For The Matin茅e’s latest album and more information, visit their website at .
