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Live Local Music

Album Review: Matt & Kim Release Thunderous New Album, “Lightning”

Posted by Mike Moynahan on 11/21 at 02:17 PM

Grade: B+

Brooklyn duo Matt (Johnson) & Kim (Schifino) are back in action with the release of their new album Lightning, released on October 2nd by FADER Label, an independent label based out of New York City.  The album is their first since 2010’s Sidewalks  and the duo returns with the same contagious pop symphonies their fans have come to love them for.

The album kicks off with the first single, “Let’s Go” an upbeat and positive track characteristic of what can often be associated with a Matt & Kim song.  With a chorus that proclaims: “Shouting out of my windows/ Roll down/ Cause I don’t care anymore/ Said I don’t care/ Let’s go” it’s easy to hear why the duo chose the song to open the album.  It’s followed by “Now,” a song that makes you feel like you could be racing through a video game while listening to it.  The group actually released this lyric video for the song that has strobe lights throughout.  It’s a perfect visual for the pulse “Now” contains. The chorus also has an amazing breakdown that I can only imagine would be a blast to jump along to during a live performance.

“Maybe we’re going nowhere fast/ And maybe we never even touched the gas,” Matt begins on “It’s Alright”, Lightning‘s third track.  This leads into a song about being positive in trying times with the reassurance that “It’s alright you’ll see”.  If you ever find yourself in a downer mood, Matt & Kim can definitely provide the soundtrack to help you snap out of it.  Other standout tracks like “Overexposed”, “Tonight”, and “Much Too Late” have the ability to keep a smile on your face.  Good vibes and high spirits persist throughout Lightning  and there really aren’t any songs that feel weak or like the band didn’t put enough feeling into its composition.

Another thing that one can’t help but love about Matt & Kim is how their music project has always been built around a “do it yourself” attitude.  Their 2009 album Grand, which many consider the group’s breakout release, is titled after the street Matt’s parents live on where the album was recorded.  Since then they’ve made the move to a studio but it’s nice to know they appreciate their beginnings.  At the core of Matt & Kim’s musical movement are two hardworking young people who make it evident they love making music and they love sharing it with their fans.  Their live performances are really something to behold.  I was able to see them on their Sidewalks tour back in 2010 and it was an absolute blast.  Because their songs usually aren’t very long they are able to pack a bunch into their set along with covers of crowd pleasers like Alice DeeJay’s “Better Off Alone” and Europe’s “The Final Countdown”.

Overall, Lightning is a fresh and energetic album from a group who deserves all the success in the world.  I highly recommend you check it out on iTunes or through the band here.