Matthew Good Band

Instead of blaming Canada, it looks like there is something to thank the Canadians for in the Matthew Good Band.\nHailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, the Matthew Good Band, which includes Matthew Good on lead vocals and guitar, Dave Genn on guitar and keyboards, Ian Browne on drums and Rich Priske on bass, create a passionately charged U.S. debut album with Beautiful Midnight.\n"Giant," the album's first track, starts off with the sounds of a cheer delivered by energetic cheerleaders and moves into the squeal of the bass, followed by a heavy drum beat; then the music quiets, and the soft but soul-filled Matthew Good starts in with vocals. What an impressive first track.\nThe album's first released single, "Hello Time Bomb," truly delivers an impact. The song pulsates with strength and heart, creating a reason for my head to sway with the rhythm.\n"Strange Days" is a powerful, ballad-like track with a soft yet hearty tone, aided by guitars, bass and some percussion and hard vocals from Good. "Suburbia" takes a hauntingly pessimistic view of life in suburbia while managing to remain beautiful. The lyrics add much substance to this piece. "Jenni's Song" is a track in which the lyrics do all the talking. The bass accentuates the anger of the song's subject, Jenni. "A Boy and His Machine Gun" is a difficult song to grasp, yet it is strangely gripping. The subject matter is tough, yet the sound is tough and enthralling as well.\nBoth the 10th and 11th tracks seem angrier than the rest of the songs on Beautiful Midnight. It isn't necessarily a criticism; it simply says something about the band's ability to convey powerful emotions through its lyrics and music. The last track on the album is the perfect ending to a near-perfect disc. "Running For Home" is subtle yet intense, with lyrics and music combining to make a listener think about what is being sung.\nThis debut album from Canada's No. 1 alternative-rock band truly delivers. With sounds reminiscent of Counting Crows and Blind Melon, the Matthew Good Band proves that good things indeed do come from Canada.