Hot off his summer and fall tours (partially with The Gaslight Anthem), Matt Mays recently released his new album, Twice Upon a Hell of a Time…, an acoustic reimagining of his last record, Once Upon a Hell of a Time….
Spanning a 16 year career between bands (The Guthries, El Torpedo) and solo projects, Mays has a storied history in the alternative and singer-songwriter music world. His last release Once Upon A Hell Of A Time… straddles the melodramatic and the melancholy by telling the story of a man in search of love, coping with loss and looking for something more. The record has catapulted Mays to new levels of notoriety and reverence in Canada and has also seen his international following grow to career-changing heights as well. Re-contextualizing the songs on his upcoming release offers a new window into the lyrics. Check out the album below!
We managed to catch up with Matt as he talked about the album and more!
So how has the initial release of Twice Upon a Hell of a Time… gone down so far?
It’s going really well! People seem pretty intrigued by the project and those who have heard it seem to be digging it.
Do you prefer playing acoustic?
I like playing guitar in all different kinds of ways. It’s just nice to have the option to change it up and keeps things fresh.
What is your favourite single off the album?
I’m really happy with how Ola Volo turned out. It seems to be the one that differs the most from the original version.
Will you working on new music this year at all?
Yes, for sure. I have a really great studio space that I work at daily. I’m always writing and recording stuff. Canada is a good place to hide and write in, during the winter.
If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?
I’d say Derek & The Dominos because I’d like to learn from close up about the creation of their sweet riffage.
How was it performing on the same stage at The Gaslight Anthem, are you good friends with the band?
Oh yeah. We’re like two bands in a pod. The Gaslight Anthem (band and crew) are some of the sweetest dudes I’ve ever played with. Always so many laughs and just a lot of respect across the board.
Will you be touring at all next year?
Yeah, I have a really great band called the Dark Promises that are going to be touring the new acoustic stuff a lot next year It’s all pretty exciting.
What do you get up to in your spare time when not working on music?
I grew up surfing so that’s my number one pastime. It’s brought me to some really incredible places around the world and has introduced me to some incredible people.