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.

undertow
Matt Marque Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'undertow' by these artists:

123 the ocean that i can walk on the waters i never…
7Wounds I don't know what the hell you wanted from me I…
Aaron Buchanan And The Cult Classics There’s no running from the fear Trapped amongst that mother…
Agnostic Front Yesterday, my world crashed with a blast That period I chose…
All Hail The Queen There you go There you go again, you're waiting on me…
Ane Brun I must follow These movements wherever they go I must follow…
Apollo UNDERTOW The tier takes to the water it throws me…
Ark Sano Gone under two times. I've been struck dumb by a voice…
As I Lay Dying The life that I sought was already like a jail Long…

Ben Hazlewood ""Take a ride We’re waiting on the same high Feel the rise N…
Beta Wolf I'm rock-bottom in another disaster, I've been swimming in t…
Big 10-4 I'm bored, I just thought I'd let you know, That your…
Blind Justice I want to swim in your current Carry me out, up…
Blueshift I wander out against my better judgement I leave it all…
Bowling for Soup Another roller coaster ride We were stuck in overdrive You…
Breaking Benjamin Two times now (times now) I've been struck down by a…
brun ane I must follow These movements wherever they go I must follow…
Bryson Tiller I can feel your breath on my lips Exercise your confidence,…
Castles Made Of Sky Take me out with the undertow I want to be where…
Chroma Key Last night hit the net Woke up in a sweat Same scene,…
Code Anchor Build it strong, build it wider Build it where no one…
Corinna Fugate Call me claudia I can't stand the sound of my own…
Coumarin I never knew what I missed out on On all the…
D.C.D My smile Washed out Another turn around How long Before We b…
Dan Auerbach The games we play The tales we spin Ain't always the way Ori…
Dave Pettigrew I don, t wanna talk now I don, t wanna hear…
David Hentschel with Jay Tausig The curtains are drawn Now the fire warms the room. Meanwhil…
Dead to Me I see the myth as a business plan Sold to the…
Discrepancies We're on the rise you probably face it Went from an…
DRGN KING I saw your picture on a screen Like in some dirty…
Eggcorn I fall into this If you want to go and take…
Eric Johanson shadows in the streetlight clouds hanging low it'll hit you …
Esthero/The Fray/Timbaland I don't wanna talk now I don't wanna hear you scream…
Exalt Will God eat from your hands Yet gnaw them down to…
Firefall Tryin´ not to lose myself in the women and the wine Tryin´…
Forever May Fall We're disconnected Drowning in the undertow Baptized by demo…
Former Hero Are you being honest now Could you turn the light out…
Genesis The curtains are drawn Now the fire warms the room Meanwhile…
Genesis (1967) The curtains are drawn Now the fire warms the room. Meanwh…
Goanna I want to swim in your current Carry me out, up…
Goapele From the moment I saw you There was something about you Just…
Green River Ordinance She left for Austin suitcase in her hand So torn and…
H.D What can I do To get through To who I used to…
Holly Starr Addicted to this habit, I pretend that I don't have…
Household Dirty streets and the unpaved plans Take me back home to…
Iration Just another day on a desert isle Caught up in a…
Ivy Standing by yourself High on the hills above the ocean…
J.K. Wiechert I'm comfortably drifting Through this inner space Sadly shi…
Jackson United some things never change some things never change lonely a…
James Labrie Tha waves crash over me And there's no time to breathe I…
Java Kickback Simple life, the world is on my side Like a bird…
Jeannie Novak Woke up this morning to a different day Took off my…
Jill King You pull me like the ocean draws a sailor from…
Joe Pernice I don, t wanna talk now I don, t wanna hear…
Justin & The Cosmics So, so long I know you know I went too far into…
Keelan Donovan I don, t wanna talk now I don, t wanna hear…
Killing Heidi All the way now, can't you see I'm falling All the…
Kim Carnes Is anybody in there Is anybody home Is anybody in there Is a…
Kliffs what did you see when you looked around? the trophies of you…
Kylo I don't wanna feel this way anymore Don't look me in…
Leonard Cohen I set out one night When the tide was low There were…
Let It Breathe The night falls Day is gone I feel so small As I lay…
Lisa Hannigan I wanna swim in your current Carry me out, up and…
Love Drunk Hearts Rollerblades and butterflies Rattlesnakes with champagne eye…
Love Like Gravity It′s been a dry run, lately in this unforgiving heat. Lookin…
Lush So you want to be alone Run and hide inside your…
M.Pkl. I know what I wanted I know what I wanted I know…
Madder Mortem Something's changing I feel I see Tearing me to dust Stillbo…
Maddie Jay I know things are hard on you but you can't…
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy I don't wanna feel this way anymore Don't look me in…
Mark Lanegan Water will forgive me, I'm just tryin' to forget Starin' at…
Matthew Stevens I don't wanna feel this way anymore Don't look me in…
Michelle Malone There are cobwebs on the ceiling fan And the lonely 40…
Mikal Cronin Fall The trees are letting all the leaves give way Streets a…
Molotov As the beat begin to drop and my heart begin…
Mr. Big She said she couldn't do it if she tried But she…
mr. big愀 She said she couldn't do it if she tried But she…
MWK I have no strive, no faith, no reason to keep…
Nick Kingswell I was wading in the undertow Set adrift with feather-weight-…
O.S.I.S. The life that I sought was Already like a jail Long…
Ofln - TOOL Two times in I've been struck dumb by a voice that Speaks,…
Pain of Salvation Let me go Let me go Let me seek the answer that…
Passion Pit Come to me honey and feel the warmth around you…
Pet Shop Boys There's an undertow Pulling me to you There's an undertow Dr…
Postures Hurt me I like the way you kill me I felt that…
R.D. Peoples I know what I wanted I know what I wanted I know…
R.E.M. I know what I wanted I know what I wanted I know…
Rachael Sage I have all my things around me And this cluttler makes…
Raffertie Raise your feet and glorify Praise those sheets that clarif…
Remember Tomorrow I know what I wanted. I know what I wanted. I know…
Robert Deeble Standing at a threshold two sides of an open door neither of…
Root I’m flowing Like a tidal wave Ain’t nobody who stop…
Rose Chronicles I give it to you I give it to you I steal…
Safe Side Fucking weak and fed up Can't remember the last time I…
Sara Bareilles Silly me, look what I did again. I found what I…
Satchmode Imma tell you about the state I'm in I'm coming down…
Section-S Gone under two times. I've been struck dumb by a voice…
Shark Club I've been sitting in my room for the past hour…
Show of Hands Born in a Devonshire seaside town 21 years ago, Failed At…
Sights & Sounds I swear I've sewn, it's the last mend I swear that…
Slighter If anyone could know The broken bones would show If anyone c…
Solifvgae Farewell my father, i'm heading out to search for answers…
Son Lux Count for me the cost The number of tomorrows lost Taken fro…
Stars Living for only one (when will it stop?) Caught in the…
State of Mine Come rescue me From the tides we swim against Come rescue me…
Suzanne Vega I believe right now if I could I would swallow you…
The Balboas the undertow was strong that day when she tried to lay…
The Colorist Orchestra And Lisa Hannigan I wanna swim in your current Carry me out, up and…
The Hungry Hungry Hypocrites we tread too deep in a sea of floating bottles their…
The March Violets No time strictly plantlife The politburo's gone to seed Di…
The Section Quartet Gone under two times. I've been struck dumb by a voice…
Timbaland I don't wanna talk now I don't wanna hear you scream…
Tool Two times in I've been struck dumb by a voice that Speaks,…
Tool氀 Two times in I've been struck dumb by a voice that Speaks,…
Ugly Kid Joe The pain is gone The rain and storm they stumble down The…
V.A. - Land Of Greed... World Of Need - A Homeless Benefit Compilation Counting sheep at the wheel Going 75 Got 2 strikes and I'm…
Val Astaire Undertow, leave me be Until the sand surrounds my feet Cause…
Velvet Belly music : Velvet Belly / Marcel Dekker Devos lyrics : Anne M…
Vigilantes of Love I got an idea in my head I been kicking…
Warpaint Your brown eyes are my blue skies. They light up the…
Warrant You speak from both sides of your mouth I tried to…
Wolfgang To the makers of manner The giver of tools You fucked up…
Yacht Club DJs Oh, you can't get in Everybody wanna built it anyway It's th…
Yes We Mystic Your arm in a sling From falling down the stairs At nine…