Matt Doyle • Contant EP Released

Matt Doyle has released his latest EP, Constant. This is a lovely companion piece to his 2011 EP, Daylight. As with the first, Constant is a collection of original songs, written by Doyle and Will Van Dyke. And once again, Matt doesn't rest on his matinee-idol good looks, instead offering up a meaty selection of songs that will keep me happy and wanting more from this artist. Although I haven't heard this out artist singing live, every time I listen to either of his recordings I want to that much more. He has such a beautiful tone to his voice, with a sweet depth.



While Daylight was a soulful production, Constant veers more on the Pop side, but still delivers heartfelt honesty. After a simple and straightforward opening to "What You Stole", the slips into a bluesy beat as if it were a warm blanket, and it picks up momentum, much like the the young love he sings about. Soon we hear the opening to "Don't Wait", the second track. This is an interesting mixture of of soul and pop,driving yet understated. It almost has the feel of a great Country crossover hit. Next we have the storytelling of "Can't Stay Here". With talk of dreams, innocence and life moving on, with or without you, the song lifts you up as it builds, then caresses to a conclusion. There is a nostalgic feel to "Can't Have You", a blues song that sparkles with a sequin feel. But that doesn't stop Doyle from reaching down to give a little growl from time to time. That was the perfect segue into the call and response sexiness of "Love Ain't Making Me Right". Doyle's voice adds another level of sexiness as he reaches deep down for strong emotional truth. For the final cut off the EP, he returns to the Pop sound on "Walls". It seems love is still a strong inspiration for good music, and once again Doyle makes a delivery straight from his heart.



To get a taste of this yummy EP, watch this video for "What You Stole" at the Constant release party, taped at Bon Soir Mondays at the Pink Elephant earlier this month.



You can purchase your copy of Constant from iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.

Matt Doyle • Constant Preview

Matt Doyle had released a preview of his upcoming EP, Constant. Matt released his first EP, Daylight, last year, and I loved it. You can find my review here. This clip previews six tracks, all written by Doyle and Will Van Dyke. I really love the clean tone, and how Matt can put a little "blues" i it when he wants to.



Constant will be available on June 12, 2012. For more about Matt Doyle, visit his official website. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Great EPs in 2011

Clockwise: Matt Doyle, Chris Riffle, Stewart Lewis, Andy Moore, and Shaun Hague.

This year several Eps were released from some great musicians. EP stood for Extended Play Single, a single with a few supplemental tracks. Now, they are more of a demi-album, a smaller collection of songs put out by an artist. It can be more affordable for all concerned - the independent artist who has to pay the costs, and the fan who can get new and fresh music at a lower cost. Take, for example, Broadway star Matt Doyle, who is an out singer/songwriter when not appearing on stage. Currently, he is featured in the New York production of War Horse. But earlier this year, he released the EP Daylight. It is a wonderful collection, beautifully written and sung. Check out this clip as he sings If Morning Can't Wait.



You can find Daylight on iTunes and Amazon.

Though he was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Chris Riffle now calls New York City home as he pursues his career in music. Earlier in the year, the out performer released I Am Not From Here, a strong acoustic collection of songs song from the heart. Here he sings the title track from the EP, I Am Not From Here.



You can find I Am Not From Here on iTunes and Amazon.

Stewart Lewis sings Shine from the album In Formation. Earlier this year, he released the EP Stumbling For Truth. I have seen the out singer/songwriter perform a few times, and have loved him every time. The five-song collection is filled with honesty and love, a welcome addition to any collection.



You can find Stumbling For Truth on iTunes and Amazon.

I have been fascinated with the music of Andy Moore since I saw her performing with Eric Himan many years ago. So I was quite thrilled to hear she was releasing new music, and had to buy it right away. 5 In Common is a beautiful group of songs, sung with a simplicity and beauty that is hard to match. I have the first two album from the out lesbian, and love them both. Check out as she sings Cemetery off the EP.



You can find 5 In Common on iTunes and Amazon.

I first heard of Shaun Hague when Jake Walden announced they would be touring together. When I went to see them, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was blown away by him and his music. Shaun adds a bluesy touch to his Rock-infused Pop, with plenty of heart and soul. Watch as he sings Make It A Great Day from the EP The Time Is Now. I took this video at the show at the MilkBoy Coffee this summer.



You can find The Time Is Now on iTunes and Amazon.

Dark Monday • War Horse

War Horse is a play based on best-selling 1982 novel of the same name by acclaimed children's writer Michael Morpurgo. It was adapted for stage by Nick Stafford, originally running on London's West End. Unlike the other shows I have covered, it is not a music, but a "straight" play. However, the ingenious use of puppetry in place of actual horses is brilliant, and only adds to lend to the beauty of the animal. The show opened in London in October 2007 at the Royal National-Olivier Theatre. It moved to the West End's New London Theatre, beginning performances in March 2009. War Horse began performances at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on Broadway in March 2011, and continues to run now. The Broadway production features Matt Doyle, whose music I have featured on the blog here.



On Wikipedia, they list the following as a synopsis of the story. "In Devon at the outbreak of World War I, "Joey," young Albert Narracott's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. Joey serves in the British and German armies, befriends "Topthorn" (another army horse), and gets caught up in enemy fire; death, disease and fate take him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before being alone in No Man's Land. But Albert cannot forget Joey, and, still not old enough to enlist in the army, he embarks on a dangerous mission to find and bring him back to Devon." Check out this promotional clip.



And while that certainly lays a good groundwork for the film the following clip has me mesmerized, my attention totally rapt. There is something about this production that keeps me wanting to see the show, to feel in person what keeps me engaged on YouTube.



For more about War Horse, visit their website here. War Horse has received incredible reviews, including Time magazine saying "A landmark theater event. Thrilling!" and the New York Times calling the show "Theatrical magic!" There is a link to get tickets in you are interested and plan to be in New York City soon. You can find Matt Doyle's release, Daylight, on iTunes here and on Amazon here.

Matt Doyle • Daylight

Matt Doyle has a pretty impressive resume, including big roles on the stage as well as on television. The out and proud actor has been featured on Broadway in Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie, and currently in War Horse. He was also brought in to sing the role of Peter in the recording of Bare: A Pop Opera. He was cast in the recurring role of Jonathan in the CW's hit Gossip Girl. He's also been seen in the films Private Romeo and Once More With Feeling. So what might this talented young man do in his free time? Apparently, he writes and records music, as evidenced by his EP, Daylight.



The sing-song collection is a blues-inspired work, reminiscent of some great Memphis blues recordings. There are 5 original songs, co-written by Doyle with Will Van Dyke, opening with My Arms Are Open. There is such a nice fullness and depth to his voice. There is also an underlying flirtatiousness, a little sexy growl. Check out Matt performing the song live at the CD release.



The EP is cradled in the arms of the blues/pop music so many of us love. The bluesiest of the lot is Lost And Lookin', the one cover on the EP. It was written by James Alexander, James W. Alexander, Lowell Jordan and originally sung by the incredible Sam Cooke in 1963. It is so nice Doyle found this one. He sounds amazing on it. He sounds great on What Do You Gain?, too, giving himself a chance to wail a bit. His voice certainly holds up to what is asked of it, and the song is the better for it. Weigh Me Down is perhaps the Poppiest of the songs, a searching ballad that gives the softer side of his voice a chance to whisper to us before the soaring chorus steps in. The final track on the EP, Home, brings me back to some of my favorite singer/songwriters from the 70s, like Karla Bonoff. The introspective quality is so nice. I thought I would leave you with a video of Doyle singing If Morning Can't Wait, the second track off Daylight.



For more about Matt Doyle, you can visit him on Facebook here and on Twitter here. You can find Daylight on Itunes here, CD Baby here, and Amazon here.