Matthew and the Arrogant Sea has been a regularly revolving band on my playlists ever since Spotify started doing their “Discover Weekly” playlists. Mock Origami thrust me into the world of Matthew and the Arrogant Sea, and I’ve been sporadically listening to their tight harmonies and quirky instrumentation for a while now. Little Things is different. Little Things is what maturation looks like.
Don’t get me wrong, I still listen to Family Family Family Meets the Magic Christian, but it’s usually for a sense of nostalgia. Their album that came out last year, The Glooms Pt. 1, is exactly what I’m looking for in this moment though. With guitar that could be in any surfer rock song, vocals that play with being intentionally off key but having the control to pull it back at the perfect moment, and percussion that doesn’t overstep and holds everything together, this song has hit for me in all the right places.
I know I’m supposed to talk about a specific track on the TOTD, but I also want to touch on the album as a whole. It is incredible! Do yourself a favor and listen to it all. Ranging from really fluid dream pop sounds to vintage Decemberists, there really is something for everyone.