Thoughts On The Evolution Of Matt's Musical & Vocal Style

[Moonlight_Graham]

I'd say Avalanche was his last "old school MG" album, & his musical style has evolved greatly since then.  After Avalanche he mostly abandoned his original vocal style where he wailed out those big long epic notes; he's more low-key and vibrato-based since then.  His general music style has been much more of a "singer-songwriter" vibe since WLRRR.  I think a lot of that probably has to do with him not being in a proper "band" since Audio of Being & transitioning into a solo artist with "hired guns" backing him up.  When many songs initially being written by just 1 person on an acoustic guitar or piano/keyboard etc instead of in a rehearsal space with a band it seems natural the songs sound more intimate.  Matt's also gotten older & left the 90's alternative sound of highly distorted guitars long behind.  He seems calmer, more content in his life, & I'd imagine the treatment of his bipolarity has had it's own influence.

 

I love & sometimes miss the old MG vocals and sound, but I've come to increasingly love his newer stuff the more I listen.  His lyrics have become so much better too.  LOES is his lyrical masterpiece album IMO, and the music on that album is so different but absolutely incredible, I love the jazz elements on LOES & CN.  I also increasingly find that to truly appreciate Matt's stuff since around Hospital Music you have to dig much deeper, invest more time into the meaning of his lyrics, to find the real artistry of the songs/albums. The more you venture down the rabbit hole the more you'll be rewarded.

 

An example is the song "Arrows of Desire".  It's a really catchy song musically, but the lyrics pretty vague and confusing at 1st glance. To understand the true artistry & genius of that song it may take some digging to figure out that "arrows of desire" is a line from the poem "Jerusalem" by William Blake. Then once you begin to understand the meaning of that poem, like here: http://www.shmoop.com/william-blake-jerusalem/, you can begin to unravel how Matt is using that poem in a 21st century context to make the point he wants to make, & how the "arrow" & its journey in the song is really a metaphor for something else.  If you follow Matt's online posts about U.S. foreign policy etc it's easier to figure out what he's trying to express.

 

Matt's earlier music was more accessible & appealing to a casual listener, but the lyrics just weren't as consistently strong and sometimes just seemed like nonsense lol, maybe at times using clever words/phrases to use as a lift-off point for his epic long wailing vocal notes (which were incredible).  IMO all phases of his career are genius, but for very different reasons.

 

In the last year or so I've come to realize that Matt is increasingly not simply a musician, but a true artist in every sense of the word, who happens to use music, sound, words, and images (album covers etc) within the context of an album/song as his medium to express himself.  His songs are like audio versions of his blog posts in many ways: sonic expressions of his thoughts and feelings rather than text.  I used to wish for the return of Matt's older style, especially vocals, but I'm now completely happy just watching his music evolve any he wants it to as an artist & enjoy the ride.

 

Agree/disagree?  Your thoughts on Matt's career evolution?

[Hired Goomba]

I find that I have different emotions with Matt's voice depending on the era. I've started listening to Matt with Beautiful Midnight, which was the only album he released in the US at the time. I forget what song was a single here. I am thinking it was "Future was X-Rated" but anyway, I find his voice was in a way more powerful back then. He could hit those high/mid range notes and seem to just keep them going. I loved that. The newer stuff, or I should say, solo stuff, seemed more laid back, and not as aggressive. At the time I didn't like it as much, but as I grew older and life started happening to me more and more, I'd re-listen to the solo stuff and appreciate it more. Much like Matt's music and life were changing, so was mine and it seemed to just go together. I love the way he sounds now, and I love the song writer he has become (although I've always loved his song writing). So I agree, and I've enjoy hearing Matt evolve over the years and even though he just released a new album, I already can't wait for a new one.

[Sly Botts]

Though I appreciate the fact that over time his voice has changed, matured, and improved,  I still prefer is older (ie; Underdogs era) vocals.  I listened to him sing a live version of Apparitions on youtube last week from 1998 and it was flawless.  I guess you have to remember that he's also aged and people's voices change as they get older.

 

Like Elton John for instance.  He changed to a baritone in the late 70's, early 80's which is why his newer stuff sounded different.  I prefer his old style however I think I remember reading that he had something wrong with his throat/surgery or something and had to change it.  I think the same thing happened to Matt Good, but I don't know if he changed his range, maybe only his style. 

Edited January 15, 2016 by Sly Botts

[Mira Aleta]

First off, I want to say that I am very grateful to have the opportunity to share on this forum.  I've been a fan for 20 years, though this is my first post.  You all make such great points about Matt's changing style, that I hope I can keep up. 

 

It seems clear that there has been a ridiculous amount of growth in Mr. Good's music over the years:  from raw & acerbic in his MGB days to his present fluidity, depth & self-reflexive tone; he has proven himself capable of evolving stylistically, as well as personally.  What is interesting about this shift, is that his fans seem to have grown up alongside of him:  I know that I have. 

 

I love Moonlight Graham's reflections regarding Matt's lyrics requiring a bit more effort to unlock in recent albums.  This has been my experience as well.  I have two thoughts that come to mind around this:  first, I have noted a general trend, from his early music days all the way through to present times, towards issues of social justice.  From Radio Bomb & Fated, through Advertising on Police Cars & Lullaby For The New World Order, all the way to the aforementioned Arrows of Desire, Matt has always demonstrated an adherence to speaking his mind on tough issues:  whether they be reflective of poverty, mental illness or international political & economic policies.  Indeed this is one of the things I appreciate the most about his music, and his public persona.

 

My second thought is more personal:  I find that Matt's lyrics are appealing, at least in part, due to the fact that they are vague & unspecific.  I have often wondered if he does this expressly so that each listener has the opportunity to find their own truth therein.  Many of his songs have become emblematic of a certain time period in my life, so much so that when a specific set of chords are played, I am taken back in time.  While I have no idea what the lyrics to Change of Season mean to Matt himself, it almost doesn't matter because that is the song that got me through an extraordinarily difficult time in my life and it will always be the song that plays in my head when I think about that phase; conversely, that song will always conjure up vivid memories for me.  That song, and many thereafter, have inspired me to move forward:  they have given me hope, and they have grounded me in self reflection. Is this not what art is supposed to do for the beholder (in this case the be-listener)?

 

I also appreciate the comments regarding the shift in Matt's vocals.  While it's true that he does not unleash his characteristic 'wail' as often as he once did, I find that his vocals are just as strong, though more nuanced & emotion filled in later years.  I will always remember the very first time I heard the song Giant, due in large part to the epic nature of it's composition paired with his vocals, and Avalanche still gives me chills every time I hear it.  That said, more recent songs such as Empty's Theme park, Via Dolorosa, Zero Orchestra & All You Sons And Daughters, all demonstrate his ability to navigate difficult vocals when he wants to. 

 

The last thought I have, is to respond to when his style changed: though there has been so much diversity that it is difficult to pinpoint.  I felt a huge shift with Audio of Being.  In fact, I find that album to be a huge departure from his earlier work, with the exception of Carmelina,  The Fall of Man & Under The Influence.  (As a side note: I have read that it was while he was recovering from throat surgery that Matt wrote this album, though this may be incorrect.)  The next big shift I felt came with White Light Rock and Roll Review, though could it really be considered a shift when each subsequent album has varied so greatly one, from the next?  I'll leave that one for up for future debate. 

 

One thing I can say, is that Matthew Good's music has been so varied that I have a hard time deciding which song to offer to potential fans, as there is no one song that is truly indicative of the entirety of his musical genius.

[Sly Botts]

My second thought is more personal:  I find that Matt's lyrics are appealing, at least in part, due to the fact that they are vague & unspecific.  I have often wondered if he does this expressly so that each listener has the opportunity to find their own truth therein.  Many of his songs have become emblematic of a certain time period in my life, so much so that when a specific set of chords are played, I am taken back in time.  While I have no idea what the lyrics to Change of Season mean to Matt himself, it almost doesn't matter because that is the song that got me through an extraordinarily difficult time in my life and it will always be the song that plays in my head when I think about that phase; conversely, that song will always conjure up vivid memories for me.  That song, and many thereafter, have inspired me to move forward:  they have given me hope, and they have grounded me in self reflection. Is this not what art is supposed to do for the beholder (in this case the be-listener)?

 

You hit the nail on the head for me there, except I never had any "difficult" periods in my life where I was listening to his music, the music itself still brings me back to high-school and early college.  The most significant "difficulties" or "points/milestones" which occurred in my life happened after I had significantly reduced the amount of time I spent listening to his music, so I can't relate there.  I was more into Alexisonfire and City and Colour during my hard times.

 

You're making a very good observation/statement here though.  It totally resonates with me.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Sly Botts

[andydanger85]

I like to think of Matt's music in terms of phases: his voice and style with the Band from LOTGA to Beautiful Midnight (with BM being the peak of that period) was explosive, bombastic, and aggressive. The lyrical content seemed to be informed more by literary references to Vonnegut and films from his youth. A logical extension from this were his online writings, and the book. This raw, almost angry style helped me through some rough times. The content seemed to underline my own issues and make me feel like I was not alone. The occasional ballads had high notes that resonated with the best of the best in rock and roll singing.

Audio of Being was a distinct departure. Most of that album feels a lot grander, a lot wider in scope as compared to albums before it. There were still the literary and philosophical references that resonated with me, but on an epic scale. Tunes like The Rat Who Would Be King and Truffle Pigs have vocal moments that are almost operatic in nature - vocal swells that made me feel feelings I didn't even know I had. Heartbreaking and beautiful, and angry all at the same time.

Avalanche continued with this operatic, epic undertone and replaced literary, philosophical and personal with political. His way of phrasing certain lines of lyric has always been prescient and timely. The words cut to a certain degree of truth in music that was really refreshing to hear at that time.

WLRRR seemed to be a reaction to criticisms that his music had become too self-indulgent or over-produced. It's got moments I come back to, but I view it largely as an excuse to tour. There's some great tunes on that record, with Blue Skies being the highlight. Even though I always have Matt's entire discog on my phone, WLRRR is the album I listen to least. The Tour for White Light was bad ass, though. 

Hospital Music and Vancouver mark the next phase, in my opinion. Lyrically speaking, his writing went from starkly political to intensely personal. He went from a lot of symbolism (Poor Man's Grey), allusion (We're so Heavy) and straight up polemic (Alert Status Red), to describing specific feelings that were personal and universal at the same time (walk outside, get in the car/stare at the wheel and fall apart, she could never say that flat out she don't want me cause I could never say that half way aint enough etc). Vocally speaking, I feel like Hospital Music/Vancouver were the last ones one where he actively tried to/was able to hit the highest parts of his range. Great examples of this occur during the latter part of Odette and the last chorus/breakdown in Empty's Theme Park. 

We're now in a new phase, so to speak. I feel like the last three records - Lights, Arrows and Chaotic have all really encapsulated the idea that Matt has talked about in interviews as being the concept behind Chaotic Neutral. Lights was experimental, and had elements of Jazz/Blues/Classic Rock, Arrows was a straight up rock record and vocally speaking, I think brought back a lot of the urgency that Beautiful Midnight has in spades. I can remember riding the GO Train to Oshawa one morning in 2013 listening to Via Dolorosa for the first time. I heard  "Wait till I get my head on/wait till I get my head on straight" erupt from my headphones was an intensity that I was not expecting given the dulcet tones of Lights. I felt my eyes become warm with tears. I think Arrows is a criminally under-received record, because Matt's level of intensity  is staggering. As well, both Arrows and Chaotic dabble in spoken-word singing that has added an extra dimension to the music. I've enjoyed how all over the place Matt's vocals are on this new record, because one of the things I have always loved about his stuff is that you never know what to expect. 

Recently, I had a friend from England come over to live in Canada for a "working holiday". We were drinking some beers and inevitably, YouTube got thrown on and it became a game of "DUDE YOU GOTTA LISTEN TO THIS TUNE" back and forth. The first song I put on was "Weapon" and he damn near shat himself. He's a metal guy, but he spent the rest of the night making overtures about how Matt's voice is like nothing he's ever heard before, and that he can't believe he isn't internationally famous and such. 

In sum, there has definitely been an evolution, and I've enjoyed every step of the way. He has the most unique, most powerful voice I have ever heard. The past twenty years of listening to his music has been a gift that continues to pay dividends, no matter what "phase" of his career I happen to be in the mood for on a given day. 

EDIT: I've loved reading everyone's thoughts on this. It's been cool to see so many people with similar, independently arrived at opinions on this stuff!

Edited January 19, 2016 by andydanger85

[emmit643]

I like to think of Matt's music in terms of phases: his voice and style with the Band from LOTGA to Beautiful Midnight (with BM being the peak of that period) was explosive, bombastic, and aggressive. The lyrical content seemed to be informed more by literary references to Vonnegut and films from his youth. A logical extension from this were his online writings, and the book. This raw, almost angry style helped me through some rough times. The content seemed to underline my own issues and make me feel like I was not alone. The occasional ballads had high notes that resonated with the best of the best in rock and roll singing.

 

Audio of Being was a distinct departure. Most of that album feels a lot grander, a lot wider in scope as compared to albums before it. There were still the literary and philosophical references that resonated with me, but on an epic scale. Tunes like The Rat Who Would Be King and Truffle Pigs have vocal moments that are almost operatic in nature - vocal swells that made me feel feelings I didn't even know I had. Heartbreaking and beautiful, and angry all at the same time.

 

Avalanche continued with this operatic, epic undertone and replaced literary, philosophical and personal with political. His way of phrasing certain lines of lyric has always been prescient and timely. The words cut to a certain degree of truth in music that was really refreshing to hear at that time.

 

WLRRR seemed to be a reaction to criticisms that his music had become too self-indulgent or over-produced. It's got moments I come back to, but I view it largely as an excuse to tour. There's some great tunes on that record, with Blue Skies being the highlight. Even though I always have Matt's entire discog on my phone, WLRRR is the album I listen to least. The Tour for White Light was bad ass, though. 

 

Hospital Music and Vancouver mark the next phase, in my opinion. Lyrically speaking, his writing went from starkly political to intensely personal. He went from a lot of symbolism (Poor Man's Grey), allusion (We're so Heavy) and straight up polemic (Alert Status Red), to describing specific feelings that were personal and universal at the same time (walk outside, get in the car/stare at the wheel and fall apart, she could never say that flat out she don't want me cause I could never say that half way aint enough etc). Vocally speaking, I feel like Hospital Music/Vancouver were the last ones one where he actively tried to/was able to hit the highest parts of his range. Great examples of this occur during the latter part of Odette and the last chorus/breakdown in Empty's Theme Park. 

 

We're now in a new phase, so to speak. I feel like the last three records - Lights, Arrows and Chaotic have all really encapsulated the idea that Matt has talked about in interviews as being the concept behind Chaotic Neutral. Lights was experimental, and had elements of Jazz/Blues/Classic Rock, Arrows was a straight up rock record and vocally speaking, I think brought back a lot of the urgency that Beautiful Midnight has in spades. I can remember riding the GO Train to Oshawa one morning in 2013 listening to Via Dolorosa for the first time. I heard  "Wait till I get my head on/wait till I get my head on straight" erupt from my headphones was an intensity that I was not expecting given the dulcet tones of Lights. I felt my eyes become warm with tears. I think Arrows is a criminally under-received record, because Matt's level of intensity  is staggering. As well, both Arrows and Chaotic dabble in spoken-word singing that has added an extra dimension to the music. I've enjoyed how all over the place Matt's vocals are on this new record, because one of the things I have always loved about his stuff is that you never know what to expect. 

 

In sum, there has definitely been an evolution, and I've enjoyed every step of the way. He has the most unique, most powerful voice I have ever heard. The past twenty years of listening to his music has been a gift that continues to pay dividends, no matter what "phase" of his career I happen to be in the mood for on a given day. 

 

EDIT: I've loved reading everyone's thoughts on this. It's been cool to see so many people with similar, independently arrived at opinions on this stuff!

 

I agree sooooo much with everything you've said.

 

I definitely appreciate each stage or phase of Matt's career, and recognize that they're different. And appreciate their differences. And there are definitely phases I gravitate more to than others.

 

Also heavily agree that Arrows was under-received. I *loved*  Arrows. 

[Guest girl]

Recently, I had a friend from England come over to live in Canada for a "working holiday". We were drinking some beers and inevitably, YouTube got thrown on and it became a game of "DUDE YOU GOTTA LISTEN TO THIS TUNE" back and forth. The first song I put on was "Weapon" and he damn near shat himself. He's a metal guy, but he spent the rest of the night making overtures about how Matt's voice is like nothing he's ever heard before, and that he can't believe he isn't internationally famous and such. 

 

In sum, there has definitely been an evolution, and I've enjoyed every step of the way. He has the most unique, most powerful voice I have ever heard. The past twenty years of listening to his music has been a gift that continues to pay dividends, no matter what "phase" of his career I happen to be in the mood for on a given day. 

 

EDIT: I've loved reading everyone's thoughts on this. It's been cool to see so many people with similar, independently arrived at opinions on this stuff!

 

What you said here is awesome. I totally agree with you.

[andydanger85]

I agree sooooo much with everything you've said.

 

I definitely appreciate each stage or phase of Matt's career, and recognize that they're different. And appreciate their differences. And there are definitely phases I gravitate more to than others.

 

Also heavily agree that Arrows was under-received. I *loved*  Arrows. 

Yeah, I don't get how three years removed, you can win a Juno for Vancouver and then Arrows legit flew above the crowd to such a degree that it didn't really get much notice.

 

Mutineering and Garden of Knives both remind me of songs on AoB...Fall of Man and Advertising, specifically....and they don't do so in a derivative, unoriginal way. They both fit that same soundscape, I feel.

 

Via Dolorosa is one of the best songs Matt has ever written or been a part of. My fiancee is more of a casual Matt Good fan (but supports my fanaticism wholeheartedly), and she listens to this tune on repeat. So Close is just straight up bad ass, and Guns of Carolina is this "phase"'s slow jam a la Empty Road/Silent Army In The Trees. 

 

Great record.

What you said here is awesome. I totally agree with you.

Thanks! Again, great to see so many like-minded comments!

[emmit643]

Yeah, I don't get how three years removed, you can win a Juno for Vancouver and then Arrows legit flew above the crowd to such a degree that it didn't really get much notice.

 

Mutineering and Garden of Knives both remind me of songs on AoB...Fall of Man and Advertising, specifically....and they don't do so in a derivative, unoriginal way. They both fit that same soundscape, I feel.

 

Via Dolorosa is one of the best songs Matt has ever written or been a part of. My fiancee is more of a casual Matt Good fan (but supports my fanaticism wholeheartedly), and she listens to this tune on repeat. So Close is just straight up bad ass, and Guns of Carolina is this "phase"'s slow jam a la Empty Road/Silent Army In The Trees.

 

Great record

 

Guns of Carolina was by far my favourite track. I probably played it a thousand times. Garden of Knives was super badass. And Via Dolorosa also on repeat.

 

Hey Hell Heaven took some time to grow on me. But other than that the record was a knockout the second it all came out.

 

I ran up the data bill on my phone so bad when the pre-release streaming was on SoundCloud.

[Prairieboy]

Agree with so much of andydanger85's post. Very similar observations. The other day I listened to the Edgefest 2000 concert bootleg and realized how much his singing style has changed from those angrier-sounding days. I still have mixed emotions of AOB because that's when the band broke up and I thought that would be the last time I'd hear Matt Good. In particular, I love the first half of the album. Second half not so much.

 

Avalanche is a great album...Weapon, the title track and the haunt of Rabbits are phenomenal. I remember how different In a World sounded compared to anything of MG's I'd ever heard before and while not a fan at first - it grew on me. My Avalanche cd case is so beat up it's not even funny.

 

WLRR is a toss away for me most times except for Blue Skies.

 

Hospital Music is a top notch listen-front-to-back album, and Vancouver is an intriguing...Boy Who Could Explode is severely underrated in my mind. I can listen to that on repeat endlessly.

 

I find I listen to Lights more and more with each passing day. Arrows is GREAT....the title track is awesome (love the "here's my golden spear" line), Via Dolorosa is a rocker, So Close is almost Underdogs-ish, and I still remember the night AOD was released via iTunes and lying in bed listening to the whole album start to finish and going down the rabbit hole until hitting Garden of Knives and going "WOW - killer song!!"

 

Which brings us to Chaotic - there really isn't a skipable song on this album. Girls In Black is my favourite. Just love love love that song. But then there are the softer Moment and Cold Water tunes - so the opposite of the anger that is GIB.

 

Just an emotional ride.....

[Mira Aleta]

I must say that I am so grateful to have this conversation with more than just myself!  None of my friends are fans, which is sad in a way, especially considering that they don't particularly connect with any music. 

 

That said, it is somehow fitting that I stand alone in my fandom, as I have often felt myself to be quite alone in life; with the exception of music.  Even at times when I look around and notice my life to be replete with supports; I find myself to be unwilling, or unable to vocalise my deepest thoughts to others.  Within these moments of self reflection & perceived loneliness, music has often been my closest companion.  While I have had, and continue to have, many other musical influences & anchor points, I am comforted by the knowledge that I can shove my earbuds into my ears, hit the "Good List" on my phone, and find what I need on any given day (be it Sunday, or otherwise ;)

 

I too, have been brought to tears on public transit, many times over, the most recent of which was when I was caught unawares by "Empty's Theme Park".  I am sure that I have listened to that song at least a million times over the years, yet a week ago, I 'got it' in a whole different way.  This is part of the reason that Matt's music is so crucial an aspect of my day to day:  it allows me the space and time I need, to come to terms with my life.  It meets me where I am:  be it the best day of my life (so far!), or the day that I need to experience, despite all of my personal objections.

 

I suppose that the charm & appeal of being so connected to music, whether the musician be Matthew Good or someone else, is that it affords us the opportunity to dig deep into our personal emotional state:  offering us a companion on our journey within, while imbuing us with the confidence that we need not live endlessly in that emotional state.  Within that framework, we are able to find release, and relief; truth, and compassion.

 

So thank you all, for being so thoughtful & forthcoming in your personal thoughts & reflections.  I had hoped to find a pleasant diversion from my day to day by joining this forum, and have been pleasantly surprised to find individuals who are honest, self-reflexive & incredibly caring...not to mention, superfans, like myself!

[Guest girl]

Boy Who Could Explode is severely underrated in my mind. I can listen to that on repeat endlessly.

 

Which brings us to Chaotic - there really isn't a skipable song on this album. Girls In Black is my favourite. Just love love love that song. But then there are the softer Moment and Cold Water tunes - so the opposite of the anger that is GIB.

Me too. I listen to Boy Who Could Explode almost everyday on the way to and from work.

Yup, there isn't a skipable song on that album.

 

I must say that I am so grateful to have this conversation with more than just myself!  None of my friends are fans, which is sad in a way, especially considering that they don't particularly connect with any music. 

I know what you mean. I have friends who are lukewarm fans. I go to Matthew Good concerts with them, but they would never pay extra money to go to a Matthew Good Meet & Greet or sound check. That usually means I have to go to these shindigs by myself. Oh well.

[andydanger85]

Arrows is GREAT....the title track is awesome (love the "here's my golden spear" line)

So much yes! The line "here's my golden spear/here's my cold despair", is one of the best moments of his work in the last few years.

 

Also, in the second chorus to Via Dolorosa, the last "wait till I get my crown on"  before the full band comes back in is as passionate as I've ever heard him. Makes me tear up almost every other listen.

I must say that I am so grateful to have this conversation with more than just myself!  None of my friends are fans, which is sad in a way, especially considering that they don't particularly connect with any music. 

 

 Yes! I feel exactly the same way. My girlfriend really likes him and goes to any and all Matt Good events with me with a smile on, but (not to take anything away from my lovely lady) I've never met or known anyone/people who can speak with the same fluency and depth of experience as many of those here. I've been around Matt Good forums for a long time - since at least the "Nation of Cool" days, when Matt still paid for the forum - posting more at some times than others. It's great to come back here and hear so many similar experiences and a sort of "communal experience" of sorts. 

[Guest girl]

I did the real time chat a few times too; maybe it was ICQ chat. I think the real time chat I took part of was part of a fansite run by allhailskippy.

 

I must say though this is the best forum yet. It is so much more respectful and kind than those older iterations. I appreciate the lack of ad hominem attacks and immaturity. Mind you I'm sure I could be immature back in the day though.

That's right. This forum has stood the test of time for the reasons you stated above. They don't last for a long time otherwise.

Edited January 21, 2016 by girl

[andydanger85]

I did the real time chat a few times too; maybe it was ICQ chat. I think the real time chat I took part of was part of a fansite run by allhailskippy.

 

That's right. This forum has stood the test of time for the reasons you stated above. They don't last for a long time otherwise.

I wholeheartedly agree. There were a lot of people that started to conflate the public and private Matthew Good, and I found it started to become a dick-measuring contest as it it pertained to who could be the most lackadaisical about the most recent release/Matt in general. There should be healthy disagreement about any subject, however the moment it becomes personal or goes negative is the moment the conversation has been lost. 

[Sly Botts]

I wholeheartedly agree. There were a lot of people that started to conflate the public and private Matthew Good, and I found it started to become a dick-measuring contest as it it pertained to who could be the most lackadaisical about the most recent release/Matt in general. There should be healthy disagreement about any subject, however the moment it becomes personal or goes negative is the moment the conversation has been lost. 

Yeah I experienced that too.  People got pretty nasty and personal to the extent that they wouldn't even consider your position on anything.  Some also seemed to be there just to argue with Matt because it somehow made them ?cool?  I don't know. 

[andydanger85]

Yeah I experienced that too.  People got pretty nasty and personal to the extent that they wouldn't even consider your position on anything.  Some also seemed to be there just to argue with Matt because it somehow made them ?cool?  I don't know. 

Yeah, I found it to be abusive at a certain point. It was unnecessary and galvanized me against not only that sort of attitude, but in support of those who were trying to enjoy the damn music and talk about it, too.

[tonydanza84]

He took vocal lessons after his throat surgery yada yada yada his vocal range is much greater now