Mattiel – “Those Words”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 7 

Pairs Well With… Hillsburn, Belle Brigade, Joan Osborne

Mattiel makes inventive and intelligent rock n’ roll. Her songs cover a lot of ground, from classic rock and power pop to garage, blues, rockabilly, country, and 60s/70s folk forms. Homages to the White Stripes, Velvet Underground, and the Rolling Stones also shine through. The songs are consistently well-crafted, building through bridge changes built around guitar and percussion lines, clever wordplay, catchy choruses, all in the service of her lyric-driven songs and compelling vocals. While Mattiel’s distinct alto vocal may not have the longest range, brother, she can hold a note with emotion and conviction. The songs across Mattiel’s two albums, including the more recent Satis Factory, are ambitious and evoke a variety of modern female rock vocalist styles. “Whites of Their Eyes” echoes Elle King’s brassy blues. “Send It Over” captures the gritty despair of Joan Osbourne. “Baby Brother” reminds us of the quality teen pop from “The Belle Brigade.” The stand-out track might be the new single “Those Words.” Nostalgic power guitar chords and steady percussion drive this radio friendly sing-along forward. This song should play well live as will their top Spotify track from the first album; the plaintive but perky “Keep the Change,” which features upbeat hand claps and xylophone plinks. And if you don’t want to trust OEB here, note that Mattiel got a big boost from Jack White who invited her to open for him on tour after watching her show at his in-store studio. Yeah, Jack White really likes this band.  Nuf said. (David Zlotnick)