Album Review: Matthew Logan Vasquez Has Made A Masterpiece With “Does What He Wants”
Matthew Logan Vasquez is set to release Does What He Wants on April 21, and the album has to be my fave of the week. Set up with sounds and stories that make Vasquez appear like a modern cowboy/ vigilante/ troubadour coursing through the “Western World”, he has created a record that is likable. A strange compliment, but it is an important one because this is Vasquez first, solo album, and one where he lays out every bit of his spirit to be liked by YOU: the listener.
As fans of his work with Delta Spirit and Middle Brother know, Vasquez fuses passion and poetry in his writing, which is why each song feels so vivid. He is a distinctive story-teller because he focuses on the emotions of people that guide them through situations. From the simultaneous glee at being a new dad while also not being able to afford the hospital on “Fatherhood” to the waterfall of harmonies in “The Fighter” that emanate the determination needed to “fight” for your life, the album is a full circle of moments that turn negatives into positives and positives into negatives. For Vasquez, the theme of this solo debut is to see faith, positivity, and overall enlightened feelings as purposeful in context. As someone, whom like everyone, has questioned the purpose of hope, the album shows that virtues are not about making situations better as much as making you better in situations. Hope never gave “The Informant” great “deals” but it eventually led her home, to which we HOPE she finds peace. Moreover, hope never gave the protagonist of “Same” the money needed to deal with nagging bills and landlords, but it did give him the strength to go look for it. Thus, what Vasquez shows so beautifully is that hope is about clearing darkness or, at least, clearing your mind and heart to seek light again. Virtues such as the patience and strength are not the greatest feelings because they come from times like in “Tall Man” and “ From Behind The Glass” when life can really throw wrenches at your plans. Thus, in Does What He Wants, you are entering the rich world of Vasquez that, ironically, has a wealth of problems.
I absolutely LOVE this album. Vasquez is a genius at arrangements. From the spiritual cap/ finale that is “House Full of Music” to “Old Ways”, which sounds like a classic Rolling Stones’ demo of instrumentals, or the sunny, romance of “Headed West”, Vasquez can DO IT ALL. When you branch out from a band lauded for its creativity and perseverance, it can seem daunting to define and reintroduce yourself. Luckily, Vasquez has a voice made for folk-rock songs that make life seem like a desert your get lost in, but the stars like beacons to guide your way. He has matched dreaminess and pain to his voice, which garners the duality he seeks in showing that being good does not always feel good nor is it rewarded well. Frankly, I adore the message as it is a needed reminder for these times. Moreover, I cannot get over how well this album was made to etch a world through Vasquez’s mind, and innate ability to make a guitar string like a sonic safety rope; one you grasp through its melody to make sure you never fall. For More Information On Matthew Logan Vasquez And To Buy Does What He Wants on April 21 Click Here. See Him April 29 At Rough Trade NYC.
