by Alex Goode
Hey, everyone. Trumpthony Gonetano here, coming at you with another blog where I talk about music that was made by a guy named Matt. This time, it's one of my favorite YouTube personalities: Matt Watson. You've probably heard of Watson, he's one half of SuperMega, he used to edit for Game Grumps, he's one of the funniest people on the entire internet. Well, did you know that he also dabbles in music? Cause he does! He is one of the founders of the Lazy Eye music label, said label sometimes produces music videos for other artists, and Matt also makes music of his own. He traditionally is known for more humorous music: "I'm In Love With My Dad", "No Nut November", the Nathan's Christmas trilogy. Then, he dropped the "covid-19 type beat" track, which showed that Watson is capable of producing unironic bangers from time to time. This paved the way for Matt to maybe release a more laid-back project in the near future, and that's exactly what he ended up doing! On September 3rd of 2020, Matt released an EP called OUCH!, and I have basically hyperfixated on it in the last few months. I guess now is as good of a time as any to properly give my thoughts on it. There's only six tracks, so this probably won't be too long of a review.
The EP begins and ends with tracks that are purely instrumental from beginning to end (unless you count the vocalizations in the closer as lyrics). The opener, "Jello", is a calming, chilled out vibe that I like a lot. The simple but effective drum pattern, the gorgeous guitar chords, and that stunningly soothing trumpet lead all come together to form a brilliant opener. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer. And yes, I am aware that Matt added a chorus to this track in his VR concert, but I would honestly prefer hearing it without lyrics. I love just sitting back and letting the vibes transport me to another dimension, and I feel like lyrics would get in the way of that. Still, though, this is a great way to open the EP. And the closer, "Sleep Tight", is another track that makes me feel like this. The bell hits, Matt's vocalizations, the sample of the cheering crowd at the beginning and end, it all blends together nicely. I will say that I think Matt goes a little overboard when hitting the higher notes in his register that aren't falsetto, it sounds a little too goofy for me to take it seriously. It doesn't take me out of the mood, and I'm willing to bet that that's what Matt as going for, but it doesn't exactly sit well with me personally. And, again, I really wish it was longer. Moving into the vocal tracks, a lot of people seem to say that "Nokia" is their favorite track outright, and I can definitely see why. The soft piano that takes up a good bit of the instrumentation, the more subdued drumming, the guitar lick that sounds like something you'd hear from an old Nokia (which is probably where the title comes from), this is another super cleanly-produced instrumental. I love the lyrics as well. They get a little repetitive in structure, but they are very well-written. The pre-chorus really sticks out to me, it's something I can resonate with. Matt's delivery is nice, the flow of the fast-paced singing is smooth, his voice sounds homely. There's, like, two spots near the end where it sounds like it's about to end, but then it keeps going, which is kinda annoying, but it's not really a big deal all things considered. I can absolutely see why this track was received so warmly by people, it's a very good track.
The song "Feel This Way" is another laid back, kinda moody banger. It has the most noticeably muddy mix, but that isn't necessarily something that I think breaks the songs. The rest of the tracks have a smoother mix, so that's good. "Feel This Way" sees more personal, introspective lyrics, which I once again can relate to. I love the almost depressed-sounding drumming, the synth chords, the robotic backing vocal Matt sometimes employs when he says the title, and the brief beat switch on the outro is very nice also. Matt's voice also sounds moody yet sweet. There's a definite sense of emotion behind what he's writing/singing, Matt without a doubt is a talented vocalist. On the topic of Matt's vocals, "Margie" probably has his best singing on the whole EP. It's so direct, it's so calming, it's so raw. I absolutely love the emotion he can put into his voice. Sonically speaking, the beat sounds kinda similar to that of "Jello". Some simple drumming, singular guitar chords, all it's missing is the trumpet. That's not to say it's a rip off, not at all. Most notably, there's the subdued electric guitar on the chorus and the occasional hihat string, as well as the more pop punk-esque rapid cymbal hit pattern near the end. The last minute or so is a huge highlight, it's so pretty. Matt said in an interview that the ending of this song is his favorite part of the whole project, and it's not hard to see why. Personally speaking, my favorite track (which is why it's the song I saved for last) is "Come Over". It's the most relatable for me in terms of lyrics, it has the cleanest mix, it has the catchiest beat. This is a great song. I love the synths, I love the drums, Matt's voice and delivery are both super nice. And the lyrics are easily the most well-written on the whole EP. Specifically, the "I wish I pushed myself all the way/I wish I wasn't tired every day" part in the second verse hit me hard. This has been one of my favorite songs since it released, and for very good reason. It's also the first track on the EP with lyrics, given how it is second in the tracklist, and it's a good spot for it. It sets the mood for the lyrical portion of the record perfectly, and it' a great track to top it all off. Watch me cover it one day, it'll happen.
OUCH! is a great EP, and a solid debut full-length project for the Matt Watson moniker. He says he has more projects planned soon, and I absolutely cannot wait to hear them. If they're anything like this one, Matt is on his way to becoming a musical superstar in no time. OUCH! features a series of homely drum patterns, relatable lyrics and messages, laid back mixes, a nice showcase of Matt's lower register, and only a few auditory hiccups here and there. I love this thing, it is genuinely one of my favorite music things ever. I'd rate OUCH! a 9/10. Seriously. I love this EP more than I love my own children. This EP is great, and I think I'm going to end it here. A bit of a shorter one, but that's because there's less material to talk about. Still, I hope you enjoyed reading it all the same. Be safe today, have a great day, eat your teeth. Give me all your money.
