MATT DEANGELIS - World I'm Comin' For You
Turnersville New Jersey, United States
Matt DeAngelis is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter from Southern New Jersey. His style is reminiscent of early Elton John, Billy Joel, and David Bowie, but with a modern twist. Matt has recently released an EP entitled “World I’m Coming For You” which features the legendary musician Liberty DeVitto and Richie Cannata (formerly with Billy Joel). The EP was recorded at the iconic Cove City Sound Studios in New York and was co-produced by the talented Casey Cavaliere(TheWonderYearsBand). Matt Deangelis asked us to review his EP this month so we had a deep listen to the five-track creation. Titled 'World I'm Comin' For You'. The EP opens with its title track of the same name. My first thought when I heard this track was 'Rocket Man', Elton John. Opening with a drum solo followed by a sexy guitar riff we're then met with Matt's vocals which are reminiscent of Phil Collin's in tone. The second track 'So Fine' has a very similar feel to it in terms of influence, this track, however, opens with piano in major and is joined by the rawness of the vocals at the forefront of its production. A soft percussion can be heard in the background before joining in with a full band of guitar, piano, drums, and the vocals. In the mid-track, we're given a joint guitar and piano solos which work really well together! The tone of these instruments merge in a way that really intrigued me. We're now halfway through the EP at Track 3 titled 'Mile Down The Road'. This track keeps to the theme thus far but with a hint of West End. Full of falsettos, piano solos, and brass solos, we can imagine this as a featured track in a musical theatre production. 'Angel' is a track that is true to its name. It blesses our ears with a classical piano introduction joined by sweet vocals again we can imagine this in musical theatre. This track reminded me of certain artistic features found in the work of Freddie Mercury. I really liked this song from the classical piano to the vocal performance. A track that eases its progression from simplistic but classy to big in sound. To end 'World I'm Comin' For You' we're given 'Maybe'. 'Maybe is a laid-back track with a really nice feel to end this EP on full of brass solos we got real jazz feel from this track, and massive energy to end the project. If you're looking for a chilled-out 70s - 80s inspired collection of songs with a heavy influence from artists such as David Bowie and Elton John then this EP is destined to join your playlists. Overall, this is an EP of many influences from the 70s - 80s legends, musical theatre, and jazz. Real unique artistry can be found in the work of Matt DeAngelis. Use the link below to hear it!
After reviewing this EP, Tamara Jenna felt an urge to reach out to Matt DeAngelis to discuss his work further in an exclusive interview!
*INTERVIEW*
Thanks so much for doing this interview, I was intrigued to learn more about your influences and what drives you to create! So, firstly, when was this project released?
January of this year, 2022.
Where are you based?
Washington Township, New Jersey
When did you realize that you were an artist?
I realized that I was an artist when I was very young when I wrote my first song at age 8.
That is incredible! To write a song at age 8 is something to be proud of. So, when creating 'World I'm Comin' For You', who was your biggest artistic influences?
My first big influence was David Bowie when I first heard his album “Hunky Dory.” This inspired me to become an avid songwriter. Other influences of mine are Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Billy Joel, Elton John, and Cat Stevens. Progressive and classic rock are my two favorite genres.
When is your favorite time to create?
I love songwriting at any time during the day, but especially during the afternoon when I can reflect on the day and inspirations.
What motivates you to create?
Real-life events motivate me the most and give me ample inspiration. I love to write about the past and real-world events that are occurring. I feel that the pandemic has actually advanced my ability as a songwriter.
I've heard that from a collection of artists recently, I think being in your own space really enables you to sit with your feelings. How do you define success as an artist?
I define success as an artist as being happy with what you do. I love songwriting and always will, whether I become well-known or not.
Does art help you in other areas of your life?
Music helps me with every aspect of my life. Trials and tribulations are easier to go through when I’m in the hands of music. It heals like nothing else and also brings me closer to God.
How do you develop your artistic skills?
I develop my skills through practice and repetition. By honing my craft, I become a better musician every day. The goal for me has always been to improve each day. If I’m doing that, I know I’m headed in the right direction.
What are your ultimate career goals?
Ultimately, I want to become a widely-known artist throughout the world. My goal is to spread my music to promote positivity and help people through difficult times in their lives. For me, it isn’t about the money, but that people are able to hear my music and become better people by listening to my message.
How do you collaborate with other artists?
Collaborating with other artists is a wonderful thing and one of my favorite things about the music industry. I write all of my songs individually, but would eventually like to collaborate with other artists. However, I have played and sang on multiple other artists’ recordings and pride myself on being a successful contributor as a session musician.
What are your future plans? What can we look forward to for the rest of 2022?
I will continue recording singles and playing live. For the rest of 2022, you can expect several new songs that I will be releasing and live performances in a number of states.
This sounds amazing! It's so good to be able to do live shows again, the world wasn't the same without them. Thank you for joining me today, I've really enjoyed getting to know more about you!
Click the link below to hear 'World I'm Comin' For You' now!