Renowned indie-folk artist Jason Matu is yearning for better days ahead, just like the rest of us. “Fare Thee Well” – the first single from Jason Matu’s upcoming Same Day EP – is a white hot slab of Americana in which Jason says so long to the bad times (and the even worse vibes) of recent memory and steps boldly out into the light in this impressionistic lyrical portrait of an amorphous feeling of perseverance and triumph. Described as being “a 2021 version of Tom Petty meets Flying Burrito Brothers meets The Byrds!”, “Fare Thee Well” draws on the stylings of classic singer-songwriters of yore. “Fare Thee Well” is on all streaming platforms today.
Same Day, Matu’s upcoming EP, was written in one day’s time and later recorded in conjunction with frequent collaborator and Grammy-nominated producer Justin Craig (Hedwig and The Angry Inch) in the fall of 2020 at the producer’s Lower East Side studio. Jordan and Talor Steinberg of The Moon City Masters joined on bass and guitar with Justin holding down the rhythm on drums.
In our conversation, Vatu talks about his influences, how to create a more diverse audience, and his favorite venues (PS, we have a few in common.)
Who are some of your musical influences?
I love ALL kinds of music. I wish I were a better musician so I could play more of them. Instead, I’m stuck writing these folk-rock nursery rhymes. Just kidding about the last part.
Name a perfect song and tell us why you feel that way.
“Imagine” by John Lennon. It feels like pure, unadulterated, organic, farm to table magic.
Explain the title of your album.
All three songs were written on the same day. I thought that was really cool. I’ve never written three songs in a day before or since.
Does your EP have an overarching theme?
I think there are several themes and motifs running throughout this period of work. Both the EP and the group of songs it comes from are about surviving grief during a period of intense isolation and finding yourself, or myself, as the case may be. It’s a little less dire than that makes it sound.
What are some of the best venues you’ve played? Why?
My favorite venue right now is Mercury Lounge in Manhattan. The sound is always first rate there and it’s a very cool spot. Most of my favorite venues that I’ve played over the years are closed. R.I.P. The Dame, Lexington, KY. Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY. Cameo Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (each of these places embraced the music of whatever band I was in at the time and let us come back and play and really helped that band build an audience) Southgate House, Newport, KY (possibly the coolest place ever, double R.I.P for that legend).
What do you think you could do to make your music or shows more accessible to a more diverse audience?
I think diversity in performers helps with that. My personal feeling is that genres could be more fluid and shows could be more innovative in their content. I recently played an event in which people from 17 different countries and five continents were present and it was incredible.
Have you ever been given something remarkable by a fan?
A 22 year old with cancer told me that my music really helped them get through chemotherapy. I will never forget that.