Matt Carbone

Ordinary Man

produced by Gene Norman and Matt Carbone

Performer Magazine

Southeast Edition

Spring 2003

Reviewer Jay Mouton

Remember R.E.M. way back in the eighties when they released "losing my religion?" Remeber just how right that mandolin sounded? Matt Carbone's music is laced with subtle mandolin licks in most of the nooks and crannies. This is not a "blue-grass" collection (and I love blue-grass, but one can only take 5-string banjo in 15 minutes spurts). The mandolin wholly adds to the flavor and beauty of Carbone's music. I'm not sure what I would call this music. I believe I could safely tuck it somewhere between Alternative Country and Rockabilly. Or, maybe Alternative Rock and Tex-Mex. Or, maybe...  well, you're getting the picture. This CD contains eleven songs. All of these songs are lyrical and musical compositions by Carbone. My personal favorite is "Better Days." I'm convinced that "Better Days" placement in the number five slot did not serve to promote it as the CD's hot pick, but it's one of the most musically creative songs on the collection. Carbone's dexterity as a guitar player, mandolin player, producer, singer, and most importanly, a songwriter serves him unerringly well on this cut. Personally, I love to hear singers harmonize with themselves, especially when they do it as well as Carbone does. Complaints are few. The musical themes presented in the first six cuts seems to shift gears at cut seven and take off in a little different direction. No biggie, just a hair distracting. Lyrically speaking, Carbone is a proficient writer, but one might leave this first outing suspecting that bigger and better things will be coming our way via Carbone's pen. In the meantime, check out this work, sit back, and enjoy the stories in song.