Cash Mattock – Sexy 21st Century Sleaze – Review

cashmattock200Cash Mattock

Sexy 21st Century Sleaze
by Dan Bernal

Some creative and occasionally slick production dresses up this eclectic solo outing from upstate NY-based singer/guitarist Cash Mattock. The disc opens with a couple obviously Nine Inch Nails-inspired songs featuring the familiar industrial blend of organic/electronic instrumentation, a powerful and tightly fuzzed-out guitar underbelly and Mattock’s nearly mimicking vocal style which closely captures Reznor’s throaty half-scream. By the third track, however, Mattock takes a left turn and shows himself more broadly intentioned producer than niche performer. The acoustic and brushed-snare driven “A Girl Like You” crosses into Violent Femmes territory while “Out of My Shell” throws some whiskey in the tank for a quick stoner rock quarter mile burn. As the 17-song disc continues, more stylistic flavors pop in and out, showcasing the impressive range of this project, but likewise exposing Mattock’s vocal limitations. The layout could also use some refinement to better reflect the discs complex audio production. Where bands like Ween or Sea of Urchin can drag you through their record collections within the span of a single release with little or no stylistic residue from song to song, Mattock is notably more dynamic with his music and production than with his lyrics or vocal delivery. There are some tunes to really like here which I could easily see placed as background in film or TV. This is an interesting and well-thought-out first effort, his second will likely be worth this incubation period.
(www.cashmattock.com)