Matt Berry is probably best known to American audiences for his work on such cult-favorite UK television comedies as “The Mighty Boosh,” “The IT Crowd” and “Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace.” But he is also a singer/songwriter/composer of no small talent, as his latest release, Kill the Wolf, demonstrates. Working within an orchestrated folk-rock idiom, his influences seem decidedly British, with echoes of Mike Oldfield, the Moody Blues and the soundtrack to The Wicker Man wafting through his tunes.
But Berry’s music isn’t so cultish as to sound out of place on the radio (at least on a station like KCRW) or piping out of the stereo systems of discriminating music listeners. There are genuine pop hooks on tracks such as “Medicine” and “Knock Knock” that are as catchy as heck, and with the help of members of such bands as the Shins, Everything Everything and others, Berry keeps things contemporary with a loving nod to the progressive sounds of yesteryear. Given his comedic roots, it’s tempting to imagine that there is a subtle satiric bent to Matt Berry’s approach, but if so, it is subtle enough to only be apparent through deep listening. In the meantime, there is much simple sonic pleasure to be gained along the way.
-ERIC J. LAWRENCE
Here's a conversation between Eric J. Lawrence and Matt Berry about his new album, Kill The Wolf.
Track List:
01. Gather Up
02. Devil Inside Me
03. Fallen Angel
04. Medicine
05. Wolf Quartet
06. Solstice
07. October Sun
08. The Signs
09. Knock Knock
10. Bonfire
11. Village Dance
12. Farewell Summer Sun