Matthew Loiacono: Kentucky

Currently hailing from Albany, NY, Matthew Loiacono is far away from Kentucky, but somehow the feeling of Kentucky permeates the album. It may be the twangy guitar work or the drawl that seems to drip from his voice. Loiacono threw a contest to see what people thought the album’s connection to Kentucky was. This solo effort is a departure from the straightforward folk that Loiacono makes when playing the mandolin and banjo for The Kamikaze Hearts. He recorded Kentucky in 26 days using classic instrumentation but tweaking it digitally.

Multiple layers of Loiacono’s voice overlap to create an intricate harmony in the first track “Thirteen (For GM)”. He keeps syncopation on “Infinitely Red” with a wood block and an electric guitar. “Right Behind You” reminds me very much of Jeremy Enigk’s first solo record, The Return of the Frog Queen. At times, the album is also reminiscent of The Books first album, Thought for Food, with its combination of old instruments merged with new technology. The album ends very softly with “Through the Night”. The lyrics are a great example of Loiacono’s work: “Honestly I can’t see through the night / And what you came for / The music that you killed for.” This is music ripe for a mixtape.