MP3 Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved - Wanderers Dream

Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved create a distinctive blend of music that is at once both familiar and unique. Laxâs voice has been compared to Bob Dylanâs (Nashville Skyline era), and his songs favor the narrative approach of the late great Townes Van Zandt.

11 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Country Folk, FOLK: Modern Folk



Details:
A Wandererâs Dream:

Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved are proud to announce the re-release of their 1998 premiere C.D. Wandererâs Dream on Attaboy records. Some albums get better with age, and Wandererâs dream manages to weather the test of time and stand alongside the true contributors to the alt. country and folk scene. Mattâs songs have both simplicity and nuance. If Walter Mitty is the leading character in the title track âWandererâs Dreamâ, then his presence is felt throughout the album as someone who has found love and fortune and managed to squander both. The characters in these songs arenât as smart as they thought they were, and now they know better. Theyâre filled with the hindsight knowledge of âhow much they have lostâ; like they say in The Tennessee Waltz. Mattâs voice has been compared to Bob Dylanâs Nashville Skyline era, while his songs evoke the narrative style of the late great Townes Van Zandt, and the lyrical syncopation of Roger Miller.

Musically the album features many of the leading lights of the SF folk and country scene of the late nineties, some of whom went on to become greater stars, and others who have left us altogether. The CD is driven by drummer and percussionist Kenny Wollesen who has since played on both of Nora Jonesâ CDâs, and is a founding member of Jesse Harris and the Ferdinandos. Jesse penned the grammy award winning song âDonât Know Whyâ which Nora Jones made a hit, of course. The Ferdinandos came through San Francisco in 2001 and borrowed Mattâs much favored â62 Fender Vibrolux for the gig. âYouâre gonna like this guyâ, Wollesen said at the time,âhis songs kinda remind me of yours.â Mattâs still waiting for the comparison to pay some dividends, but thatâs another story. Suffice it to say that Kenny has good taste, and gets to choose who he plays with. Kenny has also played for Tom Waitsâ in his recent live appearances, and appears on Waitsâ The Black Rider CD.

The album also features the late and great blues and other-worldly artist Paul Pena, star of the academy award winning documentary Genghis Blues, who toured with T-Bone Walker as a teenager, and penned the Steve Miller hit Jet Airliner. On Mattâs album, Paul sings bass vocal on âIt Just Happens, and Tuvan Kargryaa on âYou Were Goneâ. Paul passed away this last year, but not before his album New Train (recorded in 1973 for Capitol records), was released. Matt had the honor of playing with his friends from Zulu Spear as the backing band for the Paulâs CD release party, and recently at a public performance honoring Paulâs life.

Wandererâs Dream features Mattâs eldest brother Paul Lacques (of the LA based cosmic country group I See Hawks in LA), on Hawaiian lap-steel guitar and mandolin. Bassist Joe Kyle who now plays with The Waybacks, plays on most of the albums tracks, while longtime soulmate of the SF folk scene Sonya Hunter lends her beautiful harmonies on an African-inspired lullaby. Michael Stadler is an East Bay bluegrass, folk, and clawhammer guitar innovator and âone hell of a country singer,â according to Laurie Lewis. Micheal sings harmonies and plays fiddle on the album, and he goes uncredited for helping Matt maintain his sanity while recording his own vocals. Erstwhile New Yorker Marilyn Carino (now of the group Muddville), and Dave Carter (chief ranger of The Trailer Park Rangers), accompany Matt to haunting effect on the albumâs title track.

Nearly Beloved has been together for fourteen years and its current lineup features Matt Lax-guitar and vocals, Dave Zirbel-dobro and pedal steel guitar, Erik Pearson, of The Crooked Jades banjo, guitar, and vocals, Robert Garner-upright bass, Pete Lax-harmonica, and Dave Rubin-Lax, of The Connie and Morty Show on the drums.

Who is Matt Lax?
Matt is a longtime Bay Area musician who played ten years in the South African world beat group Zulu Spear, and penned the title track for their 1991 Capitol Records release âWelcome To The U.S.A.â Matt began playing bluegrass guitar at the age of nine during the 70âs bluegrass revival heyday, and spent his late teens between Austin and L.A. Matt moved to the Bay Area in 1983 and joined Zulu Spear the next year at the age of twenty. Since leaving Zulu Spear in 1994, Matt has concentrated on his own music which weaves the finger picking of African music with roots country and bluegrass. Matt also plays guitar in The Palm Wine Boys, a fine West African-based acoustic group whose style is reflected in Mattâs tune âTomorrow.â


For booking or CD sales information contact:

ATTABOY RECORDS C/O
Matt Lax
312 Throckmorton Ave
Mill Valley, CA 94941

matt.lax@mindspring.com