MATTIEL — self-titled — Burger Records
scum stats: limited quantities on cloudy-clear semi-transparent vinyl, a shit ton on black
I don’t ask much of you folks. I offer up my half-baked opinions here, a link or two and hope it connects with your souls. If not…oh well.
But today, I really, 100% sincerely implore you to put the time and energy into listening to the entire debut album by Mattiel.
I cannot remember the last time I’d discovered a new record that made me feel this good. Personal and the Pizzas “Raw Pie"? Tyvek’s “Fast Metabolism”? This is HIGH praise.
The album is flawless. The Jonah Swilley/Randy Michael production team is deadly. Mattiel’s delivery, voice and lyrics are all incredibly inspired and unique and entirely hers. Her confidence is staggering. There is no comparison.
The front album cover photo…it looks badass and imbues an added layer of IMPORTANCE to everything. Someone standing on a horse confers impending greatness in my book. Like an army general ready to conquer an oncoming horde of marauders.
The “Cass Tech” song put me on the verge of tears, everything else crisp, fresh and inviting. I do not peddle in exaggerations. This is truth.
DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS RECORD!
If you at all consider yourself barely a collector, do yourself a favor, buy the colored vinyl now and thank me later.
I cannot say enough good things but it feels like I’ve already said too much. Please…on this one, just trust me. It is worth your time.
In the spirit of things, I bought an extra copy of the LP to giveaway right here. That’s what a nice guy I am. To win this beautiful LP, post a comment about the nicest thing someone has ever done for you. The best comment, as judged by me, will get this record mailed directly to their front door.
A girl died and I got her kidney and pancreas. Some debts never get paid.
After my Dad passed unexpectedly at a young 68, my best friend brought over full meals and snacks. I certainly did not want to eat or shop or cook, I took it hard. But having this food given to me comforted me, fed me and helped me feel, life goes on.
It’s so refreshing to read such positive stories of generosity and hope on yet another dark day in the world. I’m not saying it’s the nicest thing ever, but it is much needed and appreciated.
The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me happened just a few days ago. I work at a retail store on the weekends for a friend’s small biz and I noticed a customer using a walker. I went up to him asked if I could help and he said he was looking for some gifts for his kids. We talked for a few minutes and he let me know that he was just diagnosed with MS and thanked me for not judging him w/o meeting him first. I left him to continue shopping and when he was ready to check out, I gave him a free item that he talked about and when I did that he shook my hand, and said, “it’s people like you who make the world a better place.” I thanked him and went into the backroom and cried. That is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Hands down.
The nicest thing that someone has ever done for me is when I was a student teacher. Pretty much teaching for free while I hold down a night job at Applebee’s flipping burgers while taking out student loan deubt. Anyway….my last week teaching 5/6th graders writing the principal came running into the room telling me I need to go, my grandfather is at the hospital. My grandfather filled the gaps of so much in my life. He passed away that afternoon. I was gone for 3 days that week, but I needed to get back to school to finish up my teaching placement. The day I returned all three classes threw me a large secret going away party to thank me. It was beautiful. So many students and this adult man bawling with joy that these kids did for me. Cards, candy, and lots of hugs. That fall my friend that makes leather guitar straps made me a guitar strap of my grandfather. To this day a school year does not start without me sharing with students the value of my grandfather had on me. I bring it to school and tell the story of the guitar strap and how I use it to keep my grandfather near the things he created for me. So….my story is not just what people have done for me, but a story of what I give to students yearly to know more about me as a person that cares not only about myself but my student’s life. Love is all you need.
If I win a copy of this LP, that would be one of the nicest things someone has do for me recently.
All other ‘nicest’ things are much too personal to share with the cold and vacant void that is the internet.
It was a friend of mine’s birthday, and I gave him a gift. A few days later, he gave me a copy of ‘The Sky’s Gone Out’ by Bauhaus, for no reason whatsoever, other than the fact he wasn’t expecting a present, and thought I would like it. As it turned out, I did.
The nicest thing anyone has done for me was a Wisconsin state trooper. He found an ounce in my car and dumped it out. No evidence, no crime.
Well the nicest thing I have ever done for a stranger was returning a lost paycheck that was signed on the back.