SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MATTHEW LOGAN VASQUEZ – LIGHT’N UP

Matthew Logan Vasquez
Light’n Up
Dine Alone Records

With a range of meandering styles, fine crafted lyrics, playful melodies, and a excellent of story-telling, Light’n Up shows Mathew Logan Vasquez’s most mature and varied collection to date. 

Light’n Up shows the former Delta Spirit singer-songwriter strutting with confidence, charm, and intimate storytelling. Styles here range from quick tempo festival-ready numbers, a piano-accordion number,to a few deeply personal and folk acoustic songs.  With the acoustically-arranged “Ballad In My Bed”, Light’n Up opens somewhat unexpectedly with a intimate lyrics and soothing vocal duet harmonies.

It’s not all slow; on the glowing guitar melody of “Trail Park,” Vasquez showcases bright and lush rock ‘n‘roll arrangements over an energetic tempo; the lead single “Vacation” is also a buzzing, summery affair with a highly catchy melody. The next song switches up the tempo for a self-explanatory “I Love My Boy,” alluding to Vasquez’s happy home life. “Poor Kids,” a drifting, piano lead number has contemplative and dreamy instrumental sections.  Throughout the record, aspects of his emo past still resonate through Vasquez’s contemporary, finely-tuned musicianship.

The pair of acoustic-led folk songs are the album’s strongest points with Light’n Up’s last track “Oslo”,an autobiographical tune about family illness  : “There ain’t no bridge just a canyon in my mind / I have never been this lonely,” The unexpectedly emotional departure is what makes the album’s finale all the more convincing.

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