Matt Costa
Songs We Sing
(Brushfire)
It wasn’t until a broken leg cut Matt Costa’s skateboarding career short that he decided to seriously pick up a guitar. In the 18 months after his accident, Costa set in motion the events that would lead to the release of a couple indie EPs and now his full-length debut, Songs We Sing. Originally released back in July of 2005, it wasn’t until Costa guested alongside Brushfire Records labelmate Jack Johnson on the Curious George soundtrack that people got interested. It’s with good reason; Costa’s sound is rooted in a time when music was far less commercial (think ’50s-era plus Ben Folds). Sparse, eclectic and thoroughly enjoyable, it will bring a smile to your ears.
—Trevor Savory
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.