Nostalgic yet fresh

Matt Costa’s most recent release Santa Rosa Fangs is the perfect balance of being nostalgic and new at the same time. The opening track “I Remember It Well” sets the stage for the listener to be taken on an adventure through the album with its upbeat feel that is hard to stop listening to, and makes for a strong start to the album as well.

The nostalgic feeling continues in the next track “Sharon,” which has a bit more of a rock feel to it overall, but it still possesses a sound and feeling that makes it a definite Matt Costa track. There is something about the composition of this track that makes it feel almost like an older British rock song, giving the track a certain level of charisma and charm.

The dreamy vibes of the title track make for a standout song on the album. The pairing of the instrumentals with the style of vocals on the track makes for a vibe that is easy to get lost in as a listener. The dynamic of this song continues to be a solid one when the actual verse starts and doesn’t stop until the song ends.

“Ritchie” brings a slight change in sound to the table, keeping the album fresh and diverse. This specific track is very stripped down and focuses only on an acoustic guitar and Matt Costa’s vocals. This structure is very fitting as the track goes on to tell the story of a woman and Ritchie. This track has more of a folk sound to it, which makes it stand out among the other tracks that tend to be more upbeat and rock sounding.

The album wraps up with a reprise to “I Remember It Well,” but this time it has a completely different feel than what the album started with. This time around “I Remember It Well #2” is more solemn, which is quite fitting for it being the last track on the album. Just as “I Remember It Well” did a good job of setting the stage for the beginning of the album, “I Remember It Well #2” does a good job of marking the end of the album and giving the listener closure.

By the end of Santa Rosa Fangs, the listener is sure to feel as if they have just been taken on a journey. The album is full of different vibes, keeping it fresh overall, all while containing many different stories throughout the lyrics. All of this comes together to make for an album worth listening to, maybe even more than once.