The album opens with one of the new tracks, “(You’re The) Milky Way,” a Latin-flavored gem that is an interesting sort of love song. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Masters and ancients felt the same way/It’s the kind of situation that makes a man pray/In my dreams of the moon and stars, you’re the milky way.” I like that short lead by Loren Kranz on keys in the second half, but it is Matthew de Heus’ voice that really sells the song. I’ve said this before, but there is experience and authority in his delivery, making it a voice we trust. That’s followed by “Song About You,” which has something of a bright pop vibe as it begins, with that “na-na, na-na” vocal part. This is a song about writing a song, finding inspiration and putting in the work. “I’m your fool/Gonna spread the news/I’m working overtime/To find the right rhyme/To finish this tune/It’s a song about you.” The final of the three new tracks is titled “The Logical Conclusion.” Its opening lines make me smile: “It’s been one of those days/I make a living, but my nerves are frayed.” While the previous song was about songwriting, this one is at least partially about listening to music. “It’s amazing how a mood can change/Put on a record and get lost in your gaze/Music playing, body swaying/Moments like this I wouldn’t want to miss.” Yes, that is it exactly. There is a playful sense about this song. I love its vibe. Of course a large part of its appeal is his vocal delivery, but another element of this track’s success is that wonderful work on clarinet by Susan Littell.
Then we get to the previously released material, beginning with “Getting’ Down,” a song that comes from his 2016 album Town & Country. The first lines are delivered a cappella. It’s a song that looks forward to enjoying the night, always a good subject for a rockin’ tune. “Tonight is just a party/Another night on the town/Just another opportunity for getting’ down.” This track also features some nice work on guitar. “Downtown” also comes from Town & Country, and is also about getting out for a night on the town. It has a cool, jazzy vibe that matches the lyrics. That’s followed by “Gray,” which comes from Mercy Me, an EP from 2020. This is one of my personal favorite tracks. “Don’t have a big house or own any land/I do have a story that you’ll understand.” This is one of those great country songs you could just dive into. It builds beautifully. “You asked what’s behind the color of the sky/I said gray is just another shade of blue.” I think my girlfriend is going to appreciate that line for a completely unrelated reason: she has a coat that I see as blue, but she sees as gray.
We then get his totally delicious cover of “You Spin Me Right Round,” which was included on Silk Purses. It is certainly different from the Dead Or Alive original, and the more I listen to it, the more I am convinced that it greatly surpasses that original recording. This feels like how the song was meant to be, sort of how Johnny Cash toward the end of his career was tackling some surprising covers and just completely nailing them, showing us something that was in the songs all along but hadn’t been coaxed out until he performed them. That’s followed by “Never,” the opening track from Silk Purses, the song that got me hooked on his voice. “I never thought our love would ever die/I thought we’d have forever/But fate cast hope aside/I never thought our love would ever die.” I also love that work on saxophone, and then those surprising lines near the end: “I never thought I’d dance upon your grave/I’m not here in anger/I thought you could be saved.” If this world made any goddamn sense at all, this song would have been a hit. “Fly,” also from Silk Purses, has a bright and light pop feel, in contrast to the previous song, and is totally enjoyable.
Matthew de Heus takes us back to Town & Country for “I Get By,” which was that album’s opening track. This one also has a cheerful vibe, with some jazzy guitar work. “I like short days and long nights/I kinda made a living off these pearly whites/I got the gift of gab and other stuff/Book smart but street tough/You know, most times that’s still enough.” Near the end, there is suddenly some great work on clarinet by Gary Clavette. That’s followed by “Gone,” a song I first heard in February of 2020, when it was released as a single. I fell for it immediately. It features some nice work by Ron “Rosco” Selley on harmonica, but again, it’s Matthew de Heus’ vocal performance that makes it something special. “It’s time for me to move along/Won’t change my mind, my will is strong/Can you believe it took this long/I’m gone.” “Gone” was also included on Mercy Me. Also from Mercy Me comes “Let The Song Speak,” a song that takes us back to our teen years. “Having no comparisons, I thought it was love/It’s the start of this song, but that story ends/When she said to me, ‘You are my best friend.’” This one too is about music and songwriting: “That stack of lyrics is how I’m trying/To write this pain away/Four more and then we’ll see/If I forget about you and me.”
The final three songs of this wonderful collection come from Silk Purses. The first of these is “Bitter Rain,” which has a positive, driving rhythm on guitar. “All those wasted years/All that hell I’ve paid.” That’s followed by “Last Train To Anywhere,” which is the closing track from Silk Purses. This is a powerful song, a song of possibilities, a song that makes me feel optimistic. “Me and my babe on the last train to anywhere/Hoping to find a new way/Someplace to settle/Where some things are better/Somewhere with reasons to stay.” It features some really nice work on guitar. I also love the percussion on this song. The disc concludes with his cool rendition of “Fly Me To The Moon,” which features some nice work on bass, as well as good leads on both trumpet and saxophone.
CD Track List
- (You’re The) Milky Way
- Song About You
- The Logical Conclusion
- Getting’ Down
- Downtown
- Gray
- You Spin Me Right Round
- Never
- Fly
- I Get By
- Gone
- Let The Song Speak
- Bitter Rain
- Last Train To Anywhere
- Fly Me To The Moon
Greatest Misses was released on April 1, 2022.
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