Matt Massey leaves you no room to adjust as this latest single smashes onto the scene. Bringing through the classic energy and angst of punk rock, alongside of something a little more creative and structurally organic, Built is a huge single – impossible to ignore from the offset, and one that connects a little more intensely with each revisit.
Massey’s voice is a big driving factor in what gives this track impact. The distorted guitars and this stop-and-start rhythm section all give the piece an inherent rock vibrancy, but among such high levels of volume and such a manic pace, a quieter or less passionate voice would disappear into the chaos. In this case, the opposite seems to be true – Massey reacts to and indeed mirrors the weight of the music with his vocal delivery. More than this in fact, the song’s central sentiment – this idea of being built with broken pieces – is one that screams personal turmoil and reflective consideration, all of which you can hear and indeed feel as the artist pours himself into the performance.
Melodically the song has a definite simplicity, the memorable traits are more the sound of his voice, the grit and the weight, and some of these slightly blues-rock-like guitar riffs that break up the punk-rock outbursts – adding a little space and broadening the dynamic. Massey fuses hard-rock with something a little more soulful here, the track in full is actually incredibly emotional and poetic in the way it expresses itself lyrically. If the pace and unique set-up are anything to go by, a little more insight form the songwriting side of things is likely to follow along – I’d be keen to hear where he takes things in the near future. This is definitely a welcomed style and energy level right about now.
