Matt Hillyer
Bright Skyline
State Fair Records
Modern Twangfest That Channels the Days When Country and Rock ‘n’ Roll Where Kissing Cousins.
Matt Hillyer has been the front man of Dallas-based, State Fair Records for 23 years and this, his new album, Bright Skyline which follows his 2021 solo album, Glorieta is only his third in ten years. Combining keenly written story songs with music Texans love to dance to, a good balance is obtained throughout; lots of Twang from pedal steel and/or electric lead guitar, it ensures his songs are given the foundation they warrant.
What Are You Doing Now bustles along without leaving too much of an imprint, pretty solid, but not his best work; but, it is the first of many opportunities the listener has to sample some fine fiddle work and his lead electric guitar too.
Dashes of wry humour aren’t uncommon on the record, you need look no farther than thrill a minute, Moving Away, a totally brilliant portrayal of trailer trash, with sharp observations delivered in an entertaining fashion.
“Worst neighbours ever.
My next door neighbours sell marijuana,
strange cars pull up every day.
Like they clog my sidewalk with a fleet broken down cars.
But, I ain’t got the blues.
Because it’s a happy day,
they’re moving away.”
And, there’s lots more in that vein and here he’s just happy they are moving away.
Brilliant.
It’s one to put a smile on anyone’s face.
Highlights include, the fiddle warmed Honky Tonk, barroom floor delight of If I Didn’t Have You and you will soon find yourself (mentally) dancing along to pedal steel guitar, aforementioned fiddle and an addictive rhythm … it is the business, with its wonderful guitar and upright bass too.
Hiller makes it all sound so easy as he goes back to the days when Country and Rock’n’Roll were kissing cousins.
Gentle ode, Even An Angel shuffles along nicely; though he talks of remorse, and shame in what he’s done it doesn’t make the track moody’ only the singer affirming how he’s going to change (for the better) despite the fear of the devil deep down in his soul, reappearing.
“Even Angels have got something to lose,
but they too have got to get the blues sometime”.
then he asks,
“When is somebody going to mend mine?”
Picking up the tempo, there’s the hooky (It would) Take A Miracle.
“It would take a miracle to keep me away from you.
You know I have a one-track heart.”
Superb pedal steel, roving top class fiddle, Country Deluxe lead guitar… Hillyer has it all.
Great music, good songs creating Authentic Rock Solid Country for the masses.
“I would move a mountain just to be by your side,” he pledges.
Title-track, Bright Skyline is more experimental; quite quirky and needs a number of plays before you get your head around its new direction.
“This town is mean, and it’s dirty,
it’s unforgiving,
and if you come too green it’ll hurt you.
Lord, it’s driven some people outta their mind,
it ain’t no place to find a friend,
but you love it sparkles from afar.
Where you are you can watch it shines” as he describes the draw of a town’s bright lights, yet how everywhere that glitters isn’t always welcoming to a stranger.
Green Eyes bursts out the blocks… what a fiddle! Plus lead guitar and a rhythm that cooks as he sings of a pretty young woman,
“she don’t wear many pretty dresses,
she likes her faded jeans and black AC/DC t-shirt….
the way she dances in her steel toed motor cycle boots.
She can tear you into a million pieces with those,
flashing green eyes, with one word cut you down to size.
Leave you standing, staring, trying to find the strength to say,
green eyes,
baby won’t you look my way.” Some girl! Oh … there’s some excellent instrumental support to an entertaining piece of writing.
Honey Do Blues has a lot going for it in a ‘Texas warmed Jazzy Swing’ kinda way… as he tells us,
“if you promise that you will save your kisses I can not refuse,
and I’ll not have the honey do blues.
I’ll pull up the weeds,
I’ll mow the yard,
no task too big or hard,
just give me your tender loving,
and I’m sure I’ll loose those low down honey do blues”.
Wonderful music, totally steeped in pedal steel, fiddle and an infectiously danceable rhythm.
If I Had Everything I Want is another song of note as it jogs along at a lively pace buoyed by fiddle and biting lead Country style guitar that almost goes Cajun at times, as Hillyer sings
“If I had a Les Paul (guitar),
go on stage feeling ten feet tall,
like to have me a big ol’ Airstream,
private jet,
and you would be at the top of my list if I had everything I want.”
His style reminds me of one or two of my favourite ‘bread and butter’ Country singer-songwriters of the 1970s.
A Daily Flight is snappy piece, complete with a hooky, Sun Records flavoured boom-chicka-boom styled rhythm to go with driving fiddle and a groovy lead guitar… Neat.
Producer, John Pedigo of The O’s (an RMHQ Favourite from some years ago!) can be justly proud of his contribution behind the scenes as well as his ace pedal steel alongside fellow contributors; Lloyd Maines, Kevin Smith (Willie Nelson’s bassist), James Driscoll, Arjuna Contreras and fiddler Heather Stalling.
Review by Our Man Who Is Back In Havana, Mr. Maurice Hope
Released June 21st 2023
https://matthillyer.com/
Released June 21st 2024
https://statefairrecords.myshopify.com/collections/pre-orders
https://matthillyer.com/music
https://matthillyer.bandcamp.com/album/glorieta
The Rocking Magpie 