Out of the group of up and coming Red Dirt artists, a good one to keep an eye on is Matt Williams. Williams, who has been grinding on the bar/club circuit throughout Oklahoma, including the Tumbleweed Dance Hall, released his new record, Wasteland on July 30th. With a style that has always been popular in the scene, he creates music with honest lyrics all while sonically maintaining an electric rock-driven edge.
Williams first started writing original tunes around the beginning of his college years and draws influence from Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Red Dirt icons Cross Canadian Ragweed, and even current acts including Kody West, Giovannie and the Hired Guns and Dylan Wheeler.
Speaking about the content of his new record, Williams explains, “This record is a combination of songs that are older from when I started writing music, such as Osage County, to newer songs, such as Blake’s Song. I wanted to give the listeners a look into our lives, thoughts and feelings.”
His two songs that he personally favorites are Better Days and Blake’s Song.
”Better Days because of the almost cautiously optimistic tone of the song,” Williams states, “and Blake’s Song simply because of the personal nature of the song and what it means to me. I tried for a long time to write a song that captured that situation and my feelings surrounding it. It’s about one of my best friends who passed in a car accident at eighteen.”
Track by track, the record is very impressive. From the very beginning to the end, it flows well and stays consistent instrumentally, all while mixing in a new flavor with each tune. Give Wasteland a listen and be sure to follow and support Matt Williams!
”Huge special thanks to my wife and family for being so supportive, my brother Mason for helping me write the record, my good friend and producer Dwight Hamlin for bringing the songs to life and everyone who played on the record.”