Matt Blais

BIO/DESCRIPTION

Roots-rock troubadour Matt Blais makes his message clear on the first track of his upcoming album, In Shadow and Light: We need to disconnect to reconnect. With the standout opener, “Everything Connected,” Blais sets the tone for his first album in six years, musing on technology’s effect on social isolation amidst a whirl of toe-tapping harmonica riffs. On In Shadow and Light, Blais’ third full-length record due out independently on June 21, the songwriter goes in search of authenticity in an increasingly deceptive world. In the process, he reveals his chops as a chameleonic songwriter, weaving heavy blues influences (“Shotgun Kiss”), rock ‘n’ pop hooks (“Fool’s Gold”), slithering atmospherics (“Slave to Skin”), and twangy flourishes (“Set Me Free”) – all with his sit-up-and-listen harmonica work and belting vocals throughout. An album about the duality of man and yearning for connection in a detached world, the album features nine of Blais’ strongest songs to date, illuminating within them the light that is found in the darkness. Look for a string of Western Canada tour dates in support of In Shadow and Light this summer.