Last Songs

Let me let you in on a little secret: I have always loved old honky tonk country. I love the driving guitars, and the gruffness of the singers voices. So it should be no surprise that I'm a fan of the Gunshy (or perhaps you might know him as Matt Arbogast), since his raspy gruff voice is perhaps the most noticable element of his music. His past releases have been so melancholy and downtrodden that Last Songs is a welcome change. But I'm also glad that What Will They Speak of You When You're Gone? is another intimate journey into what seems to be autobiographical song writing. It explores what I've always thought has gone through Matt's head while he's on stage. He sings such intimate songs that he must feel very vulnerable and alone on a stage in a crappy bar. I know from experience when you get him to play in much more initimate settings it can be a heartwrenching experience that will even drive grown men to cry.

Last Songs is a psuedo-break from that and appears to be sort of a statement of musical purpose. "All i'd like is to write a few simple songs, for young men who look like his life right where he belongs, for making a few strangers laugh, dance and make jokes, for it was not the sad raspy tone of his unaffected voice that turned them all away, put a look on his face that made them all celebrate." It's a little more upbeat, and it has some great trumpet solo and an Edge-esque electric guitar beaming repeated riffs. This is the good stuff. Thanks, Matt.

Last Songs
What Will They Speak of You When You're Gone?