Matty Marz: “dandy” – the heart and soul of a natural-born song-smith

Wildly colorful, Matty Marz is an artist who is not afraid to reveal his feelings and put them on display. His flamboyancy is a selling point, but it comes alongside a knack for ear-worms and choruses that stem from a series of bittersweet emotions. It’s clear from listening to his 10 track album “dandy” that Marz is focusing on the groundwork of his songwriting: hooks, choruses, and melodies. Things like the phrasing on the chorus lyric to “dirtbag”, and the ascending-descending melodic vocal lines on the infectious slow burner “stay”, show Matty Marz’s immense pop aptitude, which is evident on all of his tracks. Aside from his utter refusal of creative restraint and habit of imprinting our minds with his lyrically direct messages, the album reveals, from track to track, the heart and soul of a natural-born song-smith.

The double punch of “wilting rose monologue” and “I got a crush on you” comes quickly, the former sliding into a syncopated and hypnotic stomp and the kind of memorable chorus that even haters will find impossible to ignore, while the latter alternates between trippy whispering verses and an explicit chorus that highlights Marz’s spiraling vocal tones and falsetto.

Best of all, they keep the grandiosity to a minimum, instead relying on their effortless melodies and coming out the better for it. “slow motion” is one of the best songs on the album – it is a deeply emotional track that showcases Marz’s vulnerable vocals.

The creativity, artistry, and uniqueness of each song bring out the versatility of Matty Marz. Nothing sounds alike, especially “we the people (interlude)” and “voices in my head”. The former upbeat and banging, infused with vibrant electronics.

The latter, expanding that electronics into various moods, from intimate to downright outspoken. “pretty boy” is in its own way quite meaningful on so many levels from lyrics to musicality. It is quite playful yet packs a powerful punch in making you push that replay button over and over again.

There is this perfect moment on “sober” that makes me feel so blissful I close my eyes and smile, carried away on the kind of twisted innocence that takes me back to a more decadent time in my life. It is when Marz sings the line: “You’re no fun when you’re sober, so pack up and run.”

If this were the only track on the album that was wonderful, Matty Marz would still be an extremely interesting musical figure. But so much on here is really, really good, personifying modern pop music in ways that seem to escape most other artists right now.

Matty Marz’s music tends to have storytelling aspect to it and that’s what makes it captivating and easier to listen to. Exploring a more introspective and careful style is interesting for him and does provide the dulcet reward. Marz can do no wrong for my musical taste – his songs, his voice, and the arrangements are all spot-on. This is infectious music you almost can’t help but fall in love with. It’s aesthetically attractive and his vocals are fantastic.

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