This is the first
time I have come across Otautahi-based singer/songwriter Deep Water Creek (Matthew Smith), but this single is taken from his forthcoming third album, so
I obviously have some catching up to do. Recorded and mixed by Josh Logan at
Loho studios, what we have here is a confident singer/songwriter very much in
the classic Paul Simon style, and one where there has been a great deal of work
undertaken in the arrangement which really makes this stand out. While based
around Matthew’s vocals and his guitar picking, there is a great deal taking
place which adds to the overall sound. Although never overpowering Matthew,
there is a lovely plucked double bass, sympathetic percussion, lap steel, violin,
piano and more. Their role in this is to elevate his vocals without ever taking
over, and instead of a wall of sound everything is provided with the space it
needs to that it shines without ever overlapping with anything else.
Less than three minutes in length, Matthew’s vocals invite us into his world (which was inspired by him finding a spider in a bucket of water outside the studio), and then we are wrapped the instrumentation and it feels far longer and more complex than the time allows, while also feeling timeless as it takes us on a journey. Think Paul Simon, but with a more country feel than his folk or pop efforts, with a complex and complicated arrangement, and you will realise this is one to discover.
Deep Water Creek is the project of Otautahi Based singer/songwriter Matthew Smith. A dreamer with an ear for detail Smith has been hard at work on his 3rd full length album following lasts years News From The South and 2017s self titled album. A dreamy record full of some of Smiths best work to Date Deep Water Creek's 3rd album is set for release in April 2023.