What are you trying to do musically?

I think some people tend to gra… Read Full Bio ↴What are you trying to do musically?

I think some people tend to gravitate towards music in order to exorcise their personal demons or find meaning in their lives or get in touch with their emotions or what have you. It’s possible but I don’t know that that is the case with what I do. Mostly I’m trying to make something that is beautiful to me.

Perhaps a better question would be “Why do you make music?” Man, that’s a tough one. You have no idea how long I’ve agonized over this simple question. I think for me it comes down to the fact that I don’t feel I had a choice. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and was like “I’m going to be a musician henceforth.” I didn’t even particularly care for music until well into my teens. In the end, it was just something I fell into. It suits my temperament. I like the quiet, alternating moments of ecstatic joy and mounting frustration.

The title of your record is Nothing Personal but it seems very personal, is this so? Why that title?

Actually, the original title I wanted was “Right There Is Fine.” Quotes and everything. I kept picturing someone saying it in a dismissive, breezy way and I became obsessed with knowing whether I was the person saying it or if I was the addressee. Like, was I Joan Crawford saying it over my shoulder as I ascended my palatial staircase, or was I the mover at the foot of the stairs clutching a cardboard box? Of course, this idea is incredibly stupid, so I shelved it. I eventually decided upon Nothing Personal because I liked the vagueness implicit in it, and of course the embarrassingly obvious double-meaning.

What are your influences musically?

When I was a kid my mother owned exactly three records. Handel’s Messiah, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and that one Lionel Richie record with the song about the blind girl. (I think it was called “Hello” but I’m not sure). The first song I learned all the way through by heart was the Chicago Bear’s “Superbowl Shuffle.” Me and the kids I used to hang out with all had our different parts. Because I was the white guy, I had to do Jim McMahon’s lines, although, to be honest, I secretly felt that he was kind of a dork, especially with those horrible sunglasses he always wore. I was always partial to Walter Payton’s verse. So simple. So elegant.

In that respect, I think it’s safe to say I tend to favor single songs over entire genres and catalogs. I’m incredibly picky. I can like one song by an artist and then completely despise everything else by that same artist.

I remember sitting on a bench at Chase Park when I was maybe 10, 11. They started playing “Everybody wants to rule the world” over the field loudspeakers and I fell in love with the guitar solo that comes in towards the end. I mean, literally, in love. I loved the way it felt, like it was unfolding itself, always climbing. It was the first time in my life that I consciously took note of music, as before it had always been a chaotic mess that I either ignored or avoided entirely.

How is this record different from your last record?

Well, it’s better. It’s certainly more of a makeout record than the last one. Sonically, it’s a little more polished, due in large part to the fact that I was able to spend a lot of time on it. Anyone who was around me during the recording process will tell you that I am a chronic re-writer. The extra days and weeks helped me refine the various parts. My favorite moments of the record are those that we arrived at by process of careful tinkering and elimination. For me, my first instinct is not always the best one.

Another thing was that this was the first record where I began to consider the studio a bonafide musician. My goal was to make a record that combined dubby, narcotic beats with intricate guitar, a hybrid between Portishead’s Dummy and Nicholas Drake’s Pink Moon. Having access to a digital environment helped bring that out, as well as suggest some new directions. I still think if a song doesn’t work in 4 tracks, it won’t work in 16, but I have to admit it was nice to be able to play with the extra space.

As for comparing the two, I’m probably the least informed person to ask. I like both records but for wildly different reasons. I can say that this is the first record I’ve made that I have listened to more than 5 times after it was done. I’m really weird about that, or so I gather. I’ve probably listened to this one over a hundred times, which for me is bordering on the ridiculous. It’s dense. It’s sometimes lush. I like that. I keep hearing new things. It has its moments.

(cheers and applause)
Matt Marque Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Not quite sure what I should say
Thanks for the drink anyway
And up against you in the living room
I forget to say what I wanted to

Dark blue skirt upon my bed
Your arms spaced all around my head
I wanna talk about this when we wake

It was almost better when it was fake.

Casually mention your place
As something plays across your face
But I was never good at the advice
It's not subtle when you ask it twice

Give it so more time to set
Do I feel attractive yet

I got bored waiting in the parking lot
I'm backing out the same old spot.

Overall Meaning

The first stanza of Matt Marque's "cheers and applause" depicts a conversation where the singer is unsure of what to say. Despite their hesitation, the singer is grateful for the drink and enjoys the company of the person they are with. In the next line, the singer admits that they were sidetracked by the moment and forgot to express what was on their mind. The second verse goes on to reveal that the two had a physical encounter, perhaps a one-night stand, and the singer is experiencing mixed feelings about it. He wakes up with his companion's arms around his head and a dark blue skirt on his bed. The singer says that he wants to talk about what happened in the morning, but also admits that it may have been better when it was unreal.

In the next few lines, the singer casually mentions going to his companion's place. He notices something change on his partner's face and then admits to being terrible at giving advice. In the final lines, the singer suggests that they need more time to figure things out between them. He wonders if he feels attractive to the other person and then leaves, signaling that he is not ready for a commitment.

Line by Line Meaning

Not quite sure what I should say
I am uncertain about what to say in this situation

Thanks for the drink anyway
Thank you for the drink, despite my uncertainty

And up against you in the living room
Physical intimacy with you in the living room

I forget to say what I wanted to
I am too distracted to express my true feelings

Dark blue skirt upon my bed
Your clothing left on my bed

Your arms spaced all around my head
Your arms are wrapped around my head

I wanna talk about this when we wake
I desire a conversation about this situation later

It was almost better when it was fake.
This situation may have been better if it was not real

Casually mention your place
You mention your living arrangements with ease

As something plays across your face
Your facial expression reveals something

But I was never good at the advice
I am not skilled in giving advice