Matt and Kim released their first album, Matt & Kim, on October 26, 2006. The album sold modestly, primarily at live shows. Many indie fans praised their music, and the two gained popularity through their many outgoing tours. Following the release of their first album, Matt and Kim began playing high profile music festivals, such as The Siren Music Festival and Lollapalooza. The duo signed with Fader Label and their second album, Grand, recorded in Matt's childhood bedroom at his parents' home in Vermont, was released on January 20, 2009. A video for one of the album's highlights, "Lessons Learned", in which the duo strips nude in Times Square, was shot during a very cold winter day in February 2009.
On November 2, 2010, the duo released their third album, Sidewalks. Co-produced by Ben Allen, Oliver Strauss and Matt, the album as a whole adopted a more refined, yet dense hip-hop influence in comparison to the previous two, while still maintaining the upbeat and party-esque style they are known for. Matt and Kim headlined two U.S. tours in support, in Fall 2010 and again during May/June 2011. They also played numerous festivals including Australia's Big Day Out, Japan's Fuji and V in the UK. In addition, they played at many American colleges, worked extensively through Europe and South America and, in Fall 2011, they supported Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance on select dates. Although not officially released as a single, the song "Good for Great" received significant airplay in some markets, and was ranked #65 on Boston station WFNX's Top 101 of 2011 list.
On June 22, 2012, Matt and Kim issued a brand new track, "Let's Go" as a digital single, meanwhile, the band put finishing touches on their fourth full length album, Lightning, released on October 2, 2012. The single, "Let's Go", peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. On June 25, 2012, the duo uploaded a video to their YouTube channel featuring ball handler Pat the Roc performing basketball tricks as "Let's Go" plays in full. Then on September 4, 2012, the duo released a lyric video for another new song on the album, "Now". On October 1, 2012, "Overexposed", "Not That Bad", "Much Too Late", "Ten Dollars I Found", "Tonight", "It's Alright", "I Said" and "I Wonder" were released on YouTube as official first listens. Matt and Kim premiered their official music video for "Let's Go" via the Funny or Die website in November.
The full-length album got a digital/CD/vinyl release on October 2, 2012 and the band began their official US Fall Lightning Tour the next day in Burlington, Vermont. On February 5, 2013, Matt and Kim kicked off their US tour with Passion Pit. While on tour, the official music video for "It's Alright" was released on February 25, 2013, featuring Matt and Kim in a choreographed dance routine in bed. In March 2013 Matt and Kim wrapped their US tour and performed at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida before heading to Australia for a three-week tour at the end of April.
In May, Matt and Kim announced their touring schedule for summer 2013, starting with a show at the Great GoogaMooga in Brooklyn, NY on May 18, 2013. In June, Matt and Kim performed at Free Press Summer Fest, Sandy Parts Festival, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Firefly Music Festival, Summerfest and Party in the Park. In July, they played at the Keloha Music & Arts Fest and the Forecastle Festival. In August, they played at Lollapalooza in Chicago. In October, they played at Corona Capital, in Mexico City.
On January 13, 2015, Matt and Kim released the single "Get It" in promotion of their fifth album. Along with this, they also released Spring tour dates, an album pre-order, and a lyric video to accompany the single. "Get It" received mixed reviews from fans as it ventures away from their past DIY sound. On February 10, 2015 Matt and Kim released the promotional video for the single "Hey Now" through their official VEVO Youtube account. On February 24, 2015, the band released "Hoodie On" through their official VEVO account. On April 7, 2015, Matt and Kim released the full album and held an in store performance at Amoeba Music's Hollywood store to celebrate.
Ready? OK
Matt & Kim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Broken drumsticks
And off white sweat stained shirts
Everything you see
Bleach clean and free
8 feet wide said the map
Rusty wheels on an old 10 speed death trap
Bleach black tonight
It's all right with me
It's all right with me
It's all right with me
Mom, it's how I choose to be
Map said 8 feet wide
I swam for miles in the low tide
East river is right
Bleach black tonight
And it's all right with me
And it's all right with me
And it's all right with me
Mom, it's how I choose to be
It's all right with me
And it's all right with me
And it's all right with me
And it's all right with me
Mom, it's how I choose to be
It's all right with me
The opening lines of “Ready? OK” by Matt & Kim introduce the listener to a world of gritty, imperfect beauty. The first verse is full of images that are commonplace, imperfect, and raw. The metaphor of good as nickels and dirt evokes something that may not be perceived as valuable but is in fact invaluable. The broken drumsticks and off-white sweat-stained shirts speak to the reality of musicians and those who work with their hands. The refrain that follows, “everything you see, bleach clean and free” is a stark contrast to the images painted above, and may suggest a desire to clean up and sanitize our lives, or simply a reflection of the stark beauty of a world stripped of its imperfections.
The second verse paints a more scenic picture, with a map that says 8 feet wide and rusty wheels on an old 10-speed. The East River is described as bleach black tonight, which is a stark contrast to its usual murky brown color, and may allude to the idea that in certain moments, even the dirtiest parts of our lives can seem beautiful. The repetition of “it’s all right with me, Mom, it’s how I choose to be” in the chorus suggests a sense of acceptance and self-assuredness, as though despite the messiness of our lives, we are confident in our choices and the path we have chosen.
Overall, “Ready? OK” celebrates the beauty and imperfections of life. It acknowledges that life is messy, but suggests that even within that messiness, there can be something beautiful and of value.
Line by Line Meaning
Good as nickels and dirt
Things don't have to be perfect to be good enough
Broken drumsticks
Even broken things can still produce beautiful sounds
And off white sweat stained shirts
The wear and tear of life can be seen as a reminder of all the experiences one has had
Everything you see
Sometimes what you see on the surface isn't the whole truth
Bleach clean and free
But sometimes starting fresh and clean is necessary
8 feet wide said the map
The path laid out for us isn't always the right one
Rusty wheels on an old 10 speed death trap
The vehicle we have might not be perfect, but it can still take us where we need to go
East river is right
Sometimes the right path is the most difficult to navigate
Bleach black tonight
But even the difficult path can lead to new beginnings and fresh starts
It's all right with me
Despite any challenges, I'm content with who I am and the choices I make
Mom, it's how I choose to be
I'm not perfect, but I'm still in control of my own life
Map said 8 feet wide
I won't let others' expectations limit what I'm able to achieve
I swam for miles in the low tide
Even if the journey is difficult, perseverance will eventually lead to success
And it's all right with me
No matter what happens, I'm at peace with myself
It's all right with me
I don't need others' approval to feel good about myself
Contributed by Maria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shhmellshlikeasshhhh
Who couldn't love Matt and Kim?
@fearguyQ
if your a matt & kim fan you HAVE to see them live!!! i did at furman in SC on wed. the artist/croud preformance was AMAZING!
@MrImdgreatest
too good.
@Prinsikkle
The drum beat is soooooo sick! Like this is what I listen to when I'm getting ready to drum or be be super sick!
@XXTacoBellLovaXX
why is the other like button upside down . -.
@ohdanglindsy
Ok go!
@TheMadi161
i dont give a damn what kind of music it is as long as its good matt and kim is way over good!
@hguitar167
I don't think there is one Matt and Kim song I don't like ?? such a good band.
@samhilal1097
Still good🤙🏽
@crazymashedpotatolady9364
I LIKE DIS