Detroit, Michigan is home to singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Matthew Milia, who has garnered worldwide acclaim as leader of the band Frontier Ruckus.
Milia recently recorded his first solo project, Alone at St. Hugo in collaboration with multi-instrumentalist and engineer Ben Collins from the band Minihorse. The album was originally pressed on the Sitcom Universe label, but has recently been reissued onto compact disc by Kool Kat Musik.
Grounded in a tasty blend of folk, country and pop, Alone at St. Hugo serves as an homage to a Catholic school Matthew Milia attended as a child. Memories and observations are nimbly narrated in Milia’s easygoing storyteller timbre.
Rife with radio-ready frequencies, the opening track, “Alive at the Same Time” blossoms with chiming chords and chirpy harmonies. Stressed by the sobbing twang of a pedal-steel guitar, “Schemer” steps in as a traditional country number and “Abruptly Old and Caffeinated” is fueled by a super-catchy chorus and a tugging melody.
Further select songs on Alone at St. Hugo include “Attention Students,” “Congratulations Honey” and “Karen’s Just a Kid,” which features a quirky little jam.
The sound of tooting trumpets, jingly tambourines, sawing cellos and nifty organ passages occasionally implement the material, supplying the presentation with extra layers of hues and light.
Sporting a casual and cozy pitch that alternates between sad and sweet, Alone at St. Hugo often recalls rootsier versions of Big Star and Teenage Fanclub. But Matthew Milia’s emotional cleansing and peculiar delivery give the album a wholly personal touch that really grows on you after repeated spins.
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