For years Matt Andersen has been working as a solo artist and releasing some amazing albums. For 'The Big Bottle of Joy' he has assembled a musical collective that has allowed him to stretch out his sound with delightful results.
Fans of Andersen’s music will know that his music covers a wide base. Blues, rock, soul and gospel. ‘The Big Bottle of Joy’ ticks all of the above and more.
Early highlights include the funky blues driven, ‘Let it Slide’, the organ soaked ‘Aurora’ and the catchy ‘So Lo Solo’.
It’s immediately clear to the listener from the above songs that the band Andersen has assembled fits his style of music perfectly. Andersen’s vocal soars in the way we are all familiar with, yet the band firmly keep him anchored within the music and the blend of musician and band is perfect.
There’s a gentler side to the album too. The tenderness in the pain and love explored within ‘Golden’ and ‘Only and Island’ both songs are examples of what a strong songwriter Andersen is when it comes to exploring emotions.
Is ‘The Big Bottle of Joy’ Andersen’s best work yet? Yes, until he releases his next album. As an artist he continually releases top quality material and ‘The Big Bottle of Joy’ is another stunning album in a stellar run for the affable Canadian.
Highly recommended.