Calgary-based The Matt Blais Connection’s self-titled EP is reminiscent of many things on the first listen. Influences such as the Beatles and Ben Kweller are clearly heard on each freshly emerging track, which often offers a completely different feel than the previous. With the combined elements of rock, folk and soul, it’s no wonder Matt Blais has slowly but surely caught the attention of music lovers keen enough to discover him.
Firmly rooted in many of the genres that Matt Blais incorporates into his music, his raspy yet refined vocals point each song in the direction it was originally intended. A prime example of this can be heard in “Beautiful Thing,” where the bouncy, loose melodies add to the seeming weightlessness of the song and album as a whole. Although the record is undoubtedly fun and light, that does not take away from its endearing qualities that shine through more often than not. The track “Time” effortlessly croons, “To spend more time with you, I would throw ropes around the moon” which reveals Blais as somewhat of a poet.
The Matt Blais Connection EP is surely the first of many efforts to come by the local act and presumably the platform which future records are built upon. It is a solid and impressive attempt and we should only expect Blais to improve and flourish.