Long Read: Matt Corby on his new record...
Matt Corby on his new record, writing process and how collaboration has improved his abilities.
Five years following his last album “Rainbow Valley”, Australian singer-songwriter Matt Corby recently announced the release of “Everything’s Fine”, his third full-length album which is due to be released March 24th this year. Corby recorded the LP in his recently upgraded home studio, where he has worked with various artists over the past few years.
“We made this record in 6 weeks, from start to finish without any songs written before that”, explains Corby, “I hadn’t really been focusing on my own music at all and had just been more keen to learn the ins and outs of engineering and production”.
Corby produced two releases by R&B and Soul songwriter Budjerah, whilst also working with highly acclaimed psychedelic soul act Tash Sultana on her newest album “Terra Firma”.
“I learnt so much about the process in the last 3 years” he adds, “Working with all these other artists, sometimes doing writing sessions then sometimes it could even turn into producing a whole record for someone”.
In making “Everything’s Fine” Corby collaborated with producers such as Nat Dunn. “She’s incredible, such an amazing lyricist and insane singer”. He adds that her approach to conceptual symmetry was crucial to the lyrical themes expressed throughout, as the two would regularly “let discussions just unfold as the music is playing in the background”.
Corby is a proficient multi-instrumentalist, playing almost all parts in his past releases, something which he used to great effect whilst producing “Everything’s Fine”. “I could get in on any instrument, write things down while playing, and within an hour come up with different sections” he tells, before admitting “really my biggest issue was the vocals, which is funny.”
Prior to recording this LP, Corby took particular interest in improving his piano songwriting skills, making a regular habit out of watching online tutorials on chord progressions. “I can play everything else quite proficiently” he explains, “I was happy to lead with piano, create a bunch of interesting harmonies for me to write with in `chordal land’ and then with the rest of the instrumentation be like `OK cool I’ll just learn this on bass, learn this on guitar’, etc.”
On the song “Mainies”, however, Corby resorted to his guitar for inspiration. “I was just messing around with open tuning one day and I just found these beautiful little zones”, Corby tells of the day he recorded most of the song with producer Chris Collins, as they were struggling to find inspiration before the idea for the track was presented on acoustic guitar.
“I went in there and from start to finish just played this song and all the melodies came out at once, and Chris just stopped the recording and was like `dude, that’s it man, those are the right lyrics, what you just gibberish out as you were playing’”
Now touring the world for the first time in three years, Corby looks set for an eventful year as he makes his way back into the spotlight of modern soul, folk and R&B, all whilst keeping a distinct sound which has grown into one of the most prolific voices coming from Australia. “Everything’s Fine” is out on March 24th via Island Records Australia, and is surely one of the most anticipated musical releases to look forward to in 2023.
Feature by Jay Cohen
