Review: Matt Skiba - Demos

Appears at http://www.nationalunderground.org/news/must-have-albums/177-matt-skiba-demos

There are few records whose titles perfectly describe their own content, but Demos is surely among them. Recognizing the writing stage at which these fifteen tracks were created is essential to one’s enjoyment of the album, and I use the term “album” very, very loosely. “Album” implies a cohesive body of work, but Demos doesn’t quite qualify. It is an interesting listen, nonetheless, but it cannot be held to the same standard. It is specifically intended for obsessive Alkaline Trio completists, to which we should all aspire, anyway.

Demos was recorded entirely on Skiba’s laptop. It comes as a surprise, then, that it contains so many unusual effects, particularly in the vocal department. Matt’s voice echoes, spins, and drifts, from track to track. Despite the lo-fi production, there is a notable amount of experimentation and variety. As the liner notes make clear, Matt took full advantage of GarageBand. The result is a record that will inevitably confuse those who were awaiting an expansion of his acoustic side, as was displayed on 2002’s split with Kevin Seconds.

The record kicks off with a moody opening track where Skiba revisits the lower vocal range that was prominent on Heavens’ Patent Pending, and it is heard consistently throughout the remaining tracks. This captivating croon, which perfectly suits the dark ambience, clearly contrasts Matt’s recent work with Alkaline Trio. Of course, the lively side of Skiba is presented as well, and listeners should immediately come to the conclusion that several tracks were written with the full band in mind. “S.O.S.” strips the Trio’s sound down to its most basic form, that is, a catchy riff with a familiar chord progression. Those accustomed to the band’s trademark sound will have no problem mentally filling in where the other instruments should enter. “Nausea (Cruel and Unusual),” as well, leaves one curious to hear a complete, final version, while “How the Hell Did We Get Here?” directly borrows from (or, perhaps more likely, became the basis of) an unreleased, live-only Alkaline Trio song.

“Haven’t You?” is arguably the most fully-realized track. Absent of any vocal gimmick, it is a simple acoustic tune with sweet, thoughtful lyrics, a reminder of Skiba’s profound ability to endearingly tug at the heartstrings.

Regardless of the limited audience, which is further decreased by the intentional lack of heavy promotion, one would miss out on several under-the-radar gems by ignoring this release entirely. Almost all of these songs indicate a promising musical characteristic or theme. A melody here, an intro there... these are bits and pieces of potentially incredible songs, though due to the unfinished nature of the recordings, it is up to the listener’s imagination to decide where, throughout its subsequent stages of completion, a song might go.

Rest assured, Demos is merely a taste of the future, and an official, traditional Matt Skiba full-length is on its way. Demos brings to mind the kind of recordings that remain solely within an artist’s personal files, never to see the light of day, or the kind that leak onto the internet without the songwriter’s consent. From a drum machine to brief use of pop-like Autotune, Skiba is all over the map, creatively, but then again, the writing process should never impose limitations. With Demos, Skiba brings us into this process.