Out with the new, in with the old, music that is

Matthew Dear brings to the light long lost shelved tracks in his newest release, Preacher’s Sigh & Potion: Lost Album. The album is composed of tracks apart from an old project completed in 2008-2009 that was long-shelved due to tonal changes within his later works. Dear reintroduces these songs, offering a taste of different elements of his craft and showing off his musical reach. Preacher’s Sigh & Potion: Lost Album comes in as Dear’s seventh full-length studio album, adding to a long resume of EPs, singles, remixes and more.  

The creation of these tracks originally was in the mid-2000s, but in the end was shelved to make way for Black City, which was Dear’s fourth album. In a tweet, Dear stated that it “covers a portion of the music that could have altered the musical direction of my career.” The songs are noticeably different from his 2018 release, Bunny, which offered an edgier tone. Preacher’s Sigh & Potion: Lost Album is an odd mixture of backroad folk and funk that meets electronic, as well as moments of cinematic elements. The album is earthy and aromatic with acoustic instruments that dance seamlessly with synthetics creating an “all its own” musical listening experience.

Kicking off the album is one of the first released singles, “Muscle Beach.” A twangy oh so simple guitar drones the same few notes throughout the song, and as each piece joins it, the track gives the feeling of traveling down a backcountry road in the hot summer heat. As it progresses, the acoustic instruments are joined by simple synths that ride underneath the music. These synths only really coming to the forefront near the last 30 seconds.

The next song to be introduced as a single is “Hikers Y,” which is quite the contrast to “Muscle Beach.” Though both songs seem to have a similar droning few notes, “Hikers Y” is more of a synthetic construction as the deep bassline chugs along through the whole song. It is the perfect example of “less is more,” as the song is incredibly simple, yet droning bass and synth beeps in the background, as well as Dear’s simplistic vocals, keep the ears intrigued.

“Head” showcases a different element to the album by bringing forward a cinematic quality. The track features harp-like synths as violin swells rise in the back. “Gutters And Beyond” close out the record, and it brings a more jazzy/ lounge element. Washing synth swells sound like crashing waves fill the ears behind dreamy organ tones. Dear’s voice comes through like a voice that calls in a confusing sleepless dream.

In search of his roots, Matthew Dear found and brought to life a project that truly needed to be heard. Preacher’s Sigh & Potion: Lost Album is an album that offers so many different elements from back road folk/funk to cinematic elements mixed with a jazzy lounge flavor to top it all off.