MC75 delivers a harder, edgier sound than fans may be used
to hearing from singer songwriter Matt Cook, as he embarks on a new journey
with bandmates Alberto Munoz (drums) and Matthew Pucci (bass). Laughing on
the Outside, Crying on the Inside is a
jazzier, upbeat album that combines new instruments and arrangements. Gone is acoustic guitar, replaced with
savvy bass and drums and inspired piano playing.
The opening track "So Called Love" tells the vicious cycle of being played and coming
back for more: “What have I learned…I must like getting burned.” The use of the distortion pedal on the
bass is perfect, as it echoes the hollowness that exists in such a
relationship.
The second track "Glutton" bears resemblance to one of Cook’s major influences Ben Folds Five, through its use of the melodica, also used in "Steven’s
Last Night In Town" and "Smoke." "Glutton" continues the story, but
this time that means pick yourself up, “stand taller,” and find “someone who
makes me smile,” no longer putting up with the hot and cold game.
"Times Square" sets the
background for a dichotomy that surely exists in all of us: the feeling of
wanting to be alone and not alone at the same time: “People fleeting in every
direction/You’re lost in the center of attention.”
"Patience" is a stand-alone
love ballad, showcasing Cook’s rich, velvety vocals. Here Cook goes back to his roots, layering his own vocal
harmonies in the chorus like in his earlier solo work, "Draw." Musician Pete Andrews bows an acoustic upright bass, adding to the layers
of emotion, and again paying homage to Ben Fold Five’s Brick.
The tempo slows down on the final track, "Laughing on the
Outside, Crying on the Inside," and ends on
a somewhat somber and contemplative note: “Silence fills these empty days…“Am I
ever gonna change?” One could
argue that this story ends just as it began, but I’d like to think it just
comes full circle instead.
