Following on from last year's rather fine "Small Town Burning", this EP from Mat D and the Profane Saints made a welcome arrival at Bluesbunny Towers. The storyteller again brings us more tales from the underbelly of life.
Redemption remains a strong theme in these songs. The characters are painted vividly in words and music and would fit nicely into a Jim Jarmusch movie, for example. "Betty Got Saved" gives us a potent illustration of the power of a woman to transcend both good and evil. "Bound for Glory" is a musical allegory for the loss of belief and hope that afflicts society today. Despair and emptiness fill the life of the protagonist of this song as he approaches his demise. "This Truck Makes More $$$ After Midnight" plays like Johnny Cash on speed and features some quality licks from new band member Kelli Johnson. One of the characteristics of the best song writing is the way that it creates images in your head as you listen. Mathew DeRiso (aka Mat D) has provided with 5 excellent examples of this art.
No surprises on this release therefore but the Bluesbunny thinks that once you get the taste for it you cannot get enough of this quality of music. Neatly performed and possessing a literacy and warmth of spirit missing from so much music these days, Mat D and the Profane Saints have done themselves proud again. Available by worldwide mail order from CD Baby.