Mat Black

“I could be the dark horse in a one horse town......” Mat Black is an alt-country singer/songwriter based in Melbourne Australia. With a tendency toward the dark and melancholic, his songwriting and performance, while unmistakably unique, have drawn comparisons to artists such as Jay Farrar, John Doe and Johnny Cash. 2017 has seen Black focus on recording his debut solo EP One Man Ghost Town - a showcase of deeply personal and honest songs that lay the soul of their writer bare in a brooding exposé. At one turn gentle and reflective, at next, exploding with a menacing, rhythmic energy and intent. A stellar ensemble of Melbourne musicians have lent their talent to the making of this record, which was produced and engineered by Damian Cafarella at EOR studios. “I'll be sorry come the morning's ugly light.... and by day's end there'll be the pretense of a fight. Before you know it I'll be looking at the world from a very fine year..... as I check out of here.” With Mat Black's powerhouse vocal ability acting as the cornerstone of each live performance, the band he has formed provide a rock-solid foundation and vehicle for his craft. Drummer Ross McGregor (Wayfaring Strangers, Spinifex Rose) and guitarist Jackson Barrie (Intemperance, Grand Native) are long-time collaborators - while keyboardist Brent Tough (Tough Brothers, Winston) and bassist Krissi Weiss (Soldiers of the Sun) round out the collective. Special guests on the recording include Ben Franz (The Waifs) on pedal steel, T.K. Reeve (Tom Dockray, Jemma Nicole) playing upright and electric bass, Andy McClean on harmonica, with backing vocals by April Neylan. “Guess I should have seen it coming... 'cause you know I'll always be habit's creature through and through. Was I ever in the running babe..... to be running home to you?” Being the creative force behind alt-rock band Count Zer0 and acoustic roots outfit Close To Corners during this time, the early-to-mid 2000's saw an artist attempting to find his true voice. After a hiatus of sorts, the past few years have been a musical path which has seen him draw ever-closer to this discovery. Highlights for the project thus far have included feature spots in both the Brunswick and Leaps and Bounds music festivals in 2017. Plans are underway for an East-coast tour to promote the forthcoming release. Not being a flamboyant frontman in the traditional rock sense, Mat Black lets his “art speak for itself....”, beautifully conveying songs of love, loss and longing in an understated yet powerful fashion while leaving the pyrotechnics to those who need them. "Mat Black … your roots are showing. I really like this stuff. Simple, strong and to the point. Enough country to make it engaging and enough edge to make it interesting" - Golden Guitar Winner Allan Caswell "Mat's voice got me in from the first phrase - I believe him. These are meaningful songs, performed with authority - when he sings I'm listening!" - Golden Guitar Winner Lachlan Bryan (Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes) Mat Black is a Melbourne based singer/songwriter. He sings deeply honest and personal songs about love, loss and longing.