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Nearly three years on after the CD release of Being Human, Matt Smith is back on track again with his follow-up album, recorded with his newly reinvigorated band Matt Smith’s World. Smith watchers may recall the ‘MSW’ album from 2011, simply titled Matt Smith’s World. The ten track, 2023 CD release of Into The Light by Matt Smith’s World picks up from where Being Human left off and then some. Although Being Human veered more towards deep and contemplative pop and rock, for the most part 2023’s Into The Light is more a soulful pop-rock, funk-laden reflection of hope and the song lyrics reflects those emotions to a tee. The album’s lead-off title track, “Into The Light” looks back on the darkness of 2020 but, with the steel pan drums played by Aaron Lack, the song shifts gears and it quickly lightens the load. One of the aspects reflecting Matt’s change of mind on Into The Light is that he traveled back to his home turf of Saratoga, New York in 2022 to record six of the ten tracks, with the other tracks recorded at 6 String Ranch in Austin, Texas, the studio Matt owns with Bill Kaman. Into The Light is dedicated to Matt’s Mom Helen Smith, who sadly passed away in 2022. Another cool thing on the album is the funky, R&B vibe running through several of the Into The Light tracks, including the soulful touches of “My Baby Likes To Ya Ya” and “Why Can’t We Have Good Time?”, one of the Austin tracks that benefits from the backing vocals of Ange Kogutz, the vocalist that appears on a number of tracks here and the same singer that also sang quite well on Matt’s Being Human album.
The album doesn’t fall short on its look at social consciousness that can be heard on tracks like “Water Of Life” and Matt clearly pays tribute to his pop-rock roots on the track “Measure Of A Man”, which evokes his fondness for Beatle-esque pop and rock flourishes. Even as evidence of some seriousness encroaches, Into The Light is mostly filled with upbeat, good time, positive, funky pop-rock tunes, especially clear on “Make The Most Of Your Life” with its irresistible hooks and neo-Santana flavored, scorching electric guitar leads. Clearly, the past few years have been a trying and testy period and from the current looks of things, the world today is still badly divided. Even so, a few spins with Into The Light by Matt Smith’s World is a most pleasurable way to lighten your psychic load and put you in an upbeat mood. Perhaps Matt's finest album release to date, this latest sonic opus by Matt Smith’s World, Into The Light is a masterful album by a major songwriter, co-written and performed by some of the best musicians on the pop-rock scene of 2023.
mwe3.com presents a new interview with
Matt Smith: There is some crossover with musicians, but Being Human was a product of coming to terms with a lot of issues from periods of my life that were difficult, my father’s passing and former issues with drugs and depression, as well as the other side of life, love and the joyous recklessness of youth. Into The Light is a post-pandemic party record. We’d all been through so much in the previous years, and we’re starting to return to whatever a semblance of normalcy is. mwe3: Tell us how the world has changed for you since mid-2020. Were you able to record in person with the musicians on Into The Light? I guess a lot has changed but essentially we’re still the same people we were before the pandemic? The important thing is you’re still making great albums 3 years later. Matt Smith: Since the pandemic, we all changed a bit. I started to adapt to the little bubble I had been in. My mother became ill and passed, and that experience was terrible and beautiful, all at the same time. My family grew closer and my priorities changed. I’m a little older and more philosophical about my interactions. I guess I’ve been around long enough to embrace the changes that come my way. And love and appreciate those around me that much more. Into The Light was recorded with the musicians all playing together, which was very different than Being Human which was necessarily layered, due to the circumstances.
Matt Smith: I’ve come back to my Upstate New York roots regularly throughout my life. I spent the first 35 years of my life there, and I have so many dear friends there I’ve stayed in touch with. The NY version of MSW recorded our first album with this configuration 30 years ago, and my first album with the core members was in 1988. They’re like brothers, The Austin MSW started as The Monstas in 2006! The 2 bands are very different, and the songs written for each band was tailored for the sound of each band. mwe3: The title track “Into The Light” makes a good introduction to the album. When was the title track written and then recorded? How was the track built up with all the percussion and then the backing vocals? Also, the segue of the first track and then into “Why Can’t We Have A Good Time” is great falling right on the last beat of “Into The Light”. Of course it ends with one of your best electric guitar solos. What guitar are you playing on “Why Can’t We Have A Good Time”? Matt Smith: The title track for Into The Light was meant to signify the end of the pandemic, but also the fact that hard times eventually end. I wanted the intro to be a tentative peeking out of the curtains to see if it’s safe. The first chorus is “maybe it’s over” and then explodes into joy. The Austin MSW wrote the song together, we recorded “Into the Light”, Possibility”, “My Baby Likes To Ya Ya” and “Why Can’t We Have A Good Time” all in one session. All vocals and guitars were overdubbed after the initial session. The vocalists on this song, led by Ange Kogutz, made it come to life! The end solo was recorded with an early 1980’s 3 pickup Les Paul Custom, through a Grammatico ODS head into a Bruno 2 12” cabinet. I wanted the party to continue after “Into the Light”!
Matt Smith: “You don’t get this far without a few scars”! I wrote this song with my old friend Tony Perrino. We’ve written a lot of songs together, especially on my first 4 albums. Since we were recording at his studio in Saratoga, where we recorded those first albums, it felt completely natural to co-write songs for that session with Tony. It was effortless, as always. Charlie Tokarz and Tony Gambaro played the horn lines on that track. “Grazing In The Grass” was the point of reference. I wanted the whole album to have an early 1970’s feel. As a producer, I hear what I want the arrangement of the song to be as soon as it’s demo’d. The process is to do a demo of each song, send the musician the demo and chart of the song with the instructions: ‘Bring your best ideas to the session, if you don’t have a good idea, we’ll figure it out when we’re together’. This record was always supposed to be a big sound for two, 6 member bands, with extra singers. mwe3: Is “Water Of Life” an ecological song? That song has a great groove with the soprano sax sound plus there are some cool modulations and key changes. It’s like a fusion song with great vocals. Is it Gospel Fusion? You sound like you’re preaching the gospel. What are the key lyrics in that song and what brought that song on and how did you co-write that song with Lynn Daniel? How about guitars on that one?
The main guitar was played on a Hamer Newport, which is a spruce archtop, small 335 style guitar with Seymour Duncan double D single coil pickups that were specially ordered for this model. Charlie Tokarz played the brilliant soprano sax throughout the song. The song really needed a hook, and my friend Lynn Daniel, a genuine Texas philosopher helped me come up with the chorus, which made the song come to life. The solo section is based on chromatic use of McCoy Tyner’s quartal harmony, which are triads built of 4th intervals instead of 3rd's, as conventionally used. mwe3: Is “Measure Of A Man” kind of your Beatle-esque pop-rock track on Into The Light? How did you write that track with Ian Campbell and Ange Kogutz? Is it a message song and who wrote what parts in the song? Must have been a blast to record that one. What are the key lyrics in that?
Ian Campbell is a longtime friend. I produced a beautiful album for him years ago, and he’s a very thoughtful, good soul. I asked him to write a melody and words for the section he sang on, and he knocked it out of the park. Ange Kogutz is a powerhouse singer whose voice has been integral to both Being Human and Into The Light. I’ve always encouraged her to write her own materiel and when we were tracking backing vocals on this song, I asked her to compose these lyrics on the spot, which she did! I’ve always been interested in ambitious arrangements, having grown up in a period where music was epic, particularly later period Beatles, Queen, and YES, all of whom influenced sections of this song. mwe3: “Make The Most Of Your Life” is another message song, what brought that one on? Is it about trying to stay fresh and staying focused on the future? Tell us about the guitars you played on this track and how and when you wrote it with Tony Perrino. It’s another cool track from the NY state sessions. Matt Smith: This song was difficult to write without it feeling too preachy. I wouldn’t want someone to tell me how to live, but as a cancer survivor, I have developed an appreciation for the fragility of life, and the limits of the time we have, particularly as I get older. Charlie Tokarz, who played the sax’s on this song, actually played soprano and alto saxes at the same time, ala Rahsaan Roland Kirk! I had him play multiple takes, and picked the ones I liked the best. The guitar solos in this song were plated on a Gibson 335 Rusty Anderson model, which is a spot on recreation of his 1959 dot neck 335, through the Grammatico ODS. Carlos Santana was the inspiration for the feel, another huge influence for me.
Matt Smith: It was Billy Preston’s “Nothing From Nothing” chord progression with the feel of The Band’s grooves that inspired that one! Good call! It was inspired by a late-night conversation with Paul Ossola, the bass player from the Saturday Night Live! band shortly after the 2008 collapse of the N.Y. studio scene. We were bemoaning what we would do now when I asked him “have you been broke before?”, of course he had answered in the affirmative, as we all have been, and I followed with “Were you happy?” and he said “sure, I guess”. That conversation was the basis for the song. Lynn is such a great guy to co-write with. “Nothing ain’t nothing to me, but possibility”. Staying positive in the face of adversity opens doors that appear magically. I really believe that! mwe3: “My Baby Likes To Ya-Ya” is another Austin track plus it has the Steel Drums played by Aaron Lack. Tell us about working with Aaron, who also adds in backing vocals so he’s a well-rounded player indeed. There’s also some hot slide guitar on the track too, what guitars are you playing on “Ya Ya”? Tell us something about the key changes as it adds some great changes in. It’s a cool track, what brought it on?
I’ve had the pleasure of playing with Aaron since we played in The Monstas, which the Austin MSW grew out of. Aaron is an incredible multi-instrumentalist who is not only a virtuoso Steel Pan player, but as equally proficient on vibes, drums and percussion, and piano and is the president of the Austin musicians union, of which I’m a proud member. I really wanted to nod to the more modern aspects on New Orleans jazz in the solo section and showcase the chops of David, Aaron and the mighty Joe Morales, who is obviously an amazing musician. The song goes into the middle section and crashes back down to the streets of New Orleans with the slide solo, in G tuning, played on my trusty green custom Strat, put together by the legendary Flip Scipio of New York. mwe3: “A Change In Me” is a great track. What kind of changes are most exciting to you? It’s very much a rock track, tell us about the key changes in the track.
mwe3: All things must pass but the album ends on a track with a very reality based number called “Life Ain’t Easy (And Then You Die)” What are some of the key lyrics in that song? Is “Life Ain’t Easy” the ultimate message song on Into The Light? How about guitars on “Life Ain’t Easy”? Matt Smith: “Life” was co-written with the great Guy Forsyth, an Austin legend who I’ve played with and produced over the years in Austin. It’s meant to be a light hearted look at dealing with whatever life throws at you with humor and grace. I think it’s very important to find the humor in the inevitable problems that will always come your way. “That was the old facts, here are the new facts” is the message. Humans don’t like change, but change always comes. As a musician who came up through the period when you could actually make a living in bars, I’ve seen so many of my friends struggle with adapting to the new business model, the “You too can make hundreds, or even tens of dollars in a few short decades” reality of streaming income. I try to make albums because I have something to say. I never hope to recoup the cost of recording, manufacturing or promoting my music. However, it’s the engine that drives my other income streams, teaching, producing and recording other artists. It gives my musical life purpose. And it’s part of my legacy. I used a Supro Ozark to play the slide guitar in open G tuning through a Supro Comet amp on that cut. Guy and his wife Jeska provided backing vocals, and this was recorded in Saratoga by the New York Matt Smith’s World.
Matt Smith: One of the most gifted, brilliant guys I know, Tim Hochstetter did the cover art which brilliantly conveyed the sense of humans venturing out of the gloom and darkness into a brighter day. Tim also did the cover piece for Being Human as well as the 3D painting featured on Delta Radio, an album I did in 1994 with the same guys who are in the New York MSW. I truly treasure these long term relationships with dear friends! mwe3: Tell us some of your plans to promote Into The Light. Are you planning to head back to NY to do some shows and how about in Austin? What are you looking forward to as far as writing new music, recording, producing and possibly doing live shows and videos Matt Smith: I’m doing my best to reach out to as many media outlets as possible to get the word out on this album. I’m very proud of both MSW bands and love to perform with them. Everyone involved is very busy with lots of projects, so I perform with them whenever possible. I’m also very involved with 6 String Ranch in Austin, so that keeps me busy as well! mwe3: Looking back on the Being Human period and all the reissues / releases of your back catalog in 2020, would you consider a concise best-of single disc CD to put your past into a distinct anthology that touches on all the high points of your career? Matt Smith: I think I covered that with the four album release of curated cuts with the 1988-2020, disc during the pandemic. I’m going to look forward now. I’ve begun writing for my next release, which will be album 20 for me.
Matt Smith: I’m keenly aware of the changes in peoples’ listening habits, and I’m always searching for inspiration. Whenever I would hear an artist that inspired me, I would always try and find what music inspired them and continue backwards in time. That gives anyone a solid foundation in the roots of what you love, and inevitably leads back to the originators of that style. To me, the further back you go, the purer and more interesting it becomes. One needs to do back to move forward. It also leads you to music and rhythms from around the world. I’m 64 years old, and I’ve never lost the childlike sense of wonder at the creative process. Musically, I still have so much to learn, and so much to give…
Why can’t we have a good time
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The road back from the pandemic of the early 2020’s, and all its dreadful ramifications, is still proving to be a tough time for most people in almost all countries, however, it was the healing art of music that helped many people survive that dark period of modern human history. One recording artist that not only survived that era yet is currently thriving in its aftermath is Texas based guitarist, vocalist, studio producer-engineer and composer Matt Smith. Matt had released his pop music classic Being Human just as the pandemic unfolded in mid-2020 and on top of that, as part of the Being Human release campaign, he had also pressed CDs and released a good number of titles from his prodigious back catalog, 8 albums worth in fact, each one pressed on CD, just as things started breaking down as 2020 moved into 2021.
The New York vibe comes alive on “Still Not Dead”, and with its upbeat grooves and positive lyrics, the track benefits from Matt’s perfect lead electric guitar licks and fills. The track also features a powerful horn section featuring Charlie Tokarz (sax) and Tony Gambaro (trumpet), also from the NY sessions. Not enough can be said about all the great musicians and backing vocals supporting Matt. Between the two band’s recording with Matt in both Austin and Saratoga, there’s plenty of high vibes to go around. 
mwe3: When I first started playing it, I felt that Into The Light sounded related to Being Human. Are some of the musicians listed playing on both albums? Maybe you found a groove on Being Human and are now moving it forward with Into The Light? Are the albums sounding connected, especially as they’re coming out of the same era / decade?
mwe3: Tell us about reuniting Matt Smith’s World back in New York and in Austin Texas. I remember the Matt Smith’s World album from 2011 but, it’s been a long while since then. I guess the roots are strong for you back in New York. 
mwe3: Is “Still Not Dead” an upbeat moment from the pandemic era? It’s very authentic sounding, yet the influences are never far away. Tell us about “Still Not Dead”, you mentioned the influences in the groove like Hugh Masekela. What guitar are you playing on that track, and tell us about the horns on that track. Are there more horns on the NY state tracked songs than on the Austin tracks? What’s your message on “Still Not Dead” and can you quote some of your favorite lyrics you wrote for that track?
Matt Smith: “Where there’s no water there’s no life”… “Water Of Life” was meant to be a song about the duality of water in our environment, and what it means culturally and spiritually. There needs to be a balance for life to survive. It can be a blessing or a curse. The song is based on a 3 over 2 rhythm which is the basis for most interesting rhythms from around the world. I wanted it to timeless, like it could have been sung thousands of years ago, anywhere. I have been exploring World rhythms and guitar styles of different cultures for many years. 
Matt Smith: The verse groove in “Measure Of A Man” was inspired by Elton John’s “Take Me To The Pilot” Sometimes songs reveal themselves to you as you write them. As I get older I’m increasingly aware of legacy being what those whose lives you touch will remember you by. With the hook being “the measure of a man is the tracks you leave behind”, I wanted to send the message that what you do for others in your life matters more than we realize. 
mwe3: “Possibility” is another track you co-wrote with Lynn Daniel, one of the tracks from the Austin sessions. I never fail to be amazed at the way you craft a song with such a positive message. Does “Possibility” have a bit of a Billy Preston vibe and what are some of the key lyrics in that song?
Matt Smith: I co-wrote that song with the incredible David Webb, who plays piano and organ on that track. I’ve always been influenced by the amazing music that came out of New Orleans. My good friend Mark Epstein co-wrote the lyrics on that, and Ernie Durawa, a true Texas legend (Doug Sahm, Delbert McClinton, Texas Tornados) is the drummer on the Austin sessions. He really drives the bus on that one. 
Matt Smith: Also co-written with Lynn Daniel, we were talking about long term relationship, and the need for two people to evolve together, and ride out the waves of good times and bad. I remember a conversation I had with John Styx, who was my editor when I had a column in Guitar For The Practicing Musician, in the 1990’s. He was listening to one of my songs and asked me “What’s the best part of this song?” I was a little flustered and replied “Probably this guitar hook”, to which he replied: why isn’t the rest of it that good?”. That was a pivotal statement for me, everything has to be the best part of every song! That philosophy imbues this track. Every piece in the arrangement is the best hook I could think of! Ange kills on this song. Tina Turner had just passed, and I asked her to channel Tina, and she slayed it!
mwe3: Tell us something about the CD cover art-work of Into The Light. 