Ruf Records artist: Matthew Curry - One For The Ride - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One For The Ride, from Matthew Curry and it's a solid rocker with a lot of flavor. Opening with high energy, Rum Stumblin', Matthew Curry is back with great vocals and stinging guitars. With Francis Valentine on drums, Tim Brickner on bass, Mark Masefield on keys, Marc Russo on sax, Mike Olmos on trumpet and Mika Rinta on trombone this track has the intensity of Steve Gaines' tracks penned with Skynyrd and all of the commercial polish of Glenn Frey. Top opener. Laid back, Dancing In The Kitchen, is a real nice track with what I consider the kind of writing sure to get Curry real attention as a song writer, I love his articulate guitar work on the track and his vocal are perfect, with the added backing of Rob Archer on B3. I can definitely see other artists covering this track. Very nice. Another favorite track on the release is rock funky, Ballad Of Jesse Ed Davis. It's good to see acknowledgement of this unsung guitar slinger who I enjoyed seeing with the Shelter People and I listened to with everyone from Clapton and Taj Mahal to Bob Dylan. A wicked slide player, this is a strong tribute encouraging Curry to cut loose on slide as well. Excellent! Don't Be A Stranger has that JJ Cale, Oklahoma style guitar picking and swamp funky bottom by Brickner and Valentino with great vocal and slide by Curry, complimented by Mark Masefield on keys. Attacking the Van Zant sound straight on, Curry covers Whiskey Rock A Roller, a great southern rocker adding horns by Russo, Olmos and Rinta but holding to the soulful vocals and guitar snarl. Nice job. Wrapping the release is mostly acoustic entry, The Rambling Kind, a warm ballad with a screaming electric solo and fitting track to wind down an excellent release. 

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Matthew Curry - Shine On - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Shine On, from Matthew Curry and it's really solid. I reviewed Curry's first release, If I Don't Got You back in 2011 and this is a more polished followup showing a lot of growth as an artist.

Opening with Blink Of An Eye, Curry is back with a strong ballad and his soulful vocals. His expressive guitar riffs are more mature and his backing band is new. Matthew plays guitar and handles lead vocals with Tim Brickner on bass, Mark Masefield on keys, Francis Valentino on drums. A super radio melody and Matthew's vocal work, backed by Valentino and Alexis Saski on vocals, this track is square on. Very nice opener. With it's funky back beat, Caroline, catches you right at the get go. Brickner, Masefield and Valentino set a great stage for Curry's vocal lead and his stinging guitar riffs have great bite. Excellent! Title track, Shine On, is another radio track with huge commercial potential. I can't say enough about Curry's vocal acuity and the overall balance of the band. His guitar is restrained but not contained showing maturity and precision. Very nice. Electric Religion is a solid rocker with a heavy, lumbering bottom. Curry steps up top with some soaring guitar pyrotechnics pleasing even the toughest critics. Very cool. With a light airy, jazz rock feel, Matter of Time, is the "pop" est track on the release. Curry's soulful vocals anchor the track with skillful B3 work from Masefield and warm backing vocals. Wrapping the release is Draw The Line, a blues rocker with clean guitar soloing and cool B3 backing. Curry has put out a real nice release here and is definitely making a name for himself with John Mayer, Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Check out this new release. It's quite good.



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