If you’re familiar with Matt Stevens’s previous solo albums then ‘Oxymoron’ will take you by surprise (maybe not now that I’ve spoiled it but hey you chose to read this). Gone is his signature acoustic sound and in come all manner of electric guitar explorations. The opener comes out of the traps with a driving rock riff in alternating bars of 4/4 and 3/4. It’s like Genesis’ ‘Turn It On Again’ time signature shenanigans repackaged for the post rock generation.
Short and sweet is the order of the day for the majority of the album. I hesitate to call the tracks ‘sketches’ as that implies a slap-dash approach to the composition. Rather, these are densely packed vignettes without an ounce of fat. Every second has been lovingly crafted and that attention to detail shines through.
Matt is fond of playing with repetition and confounding expectation during the course of a song. In a recent interview for Echoes and Dust he cited the comedian Stewart Lee as an influence in this area. ‘Unsettled’ is a good example of that unusual parallel. Figures and patterns insinuate themselves into the listener’s brain but are subtly changed on each iteration by modifications in dynamics and tone.
‘The Ascent’ is noteworthy for the incredible line-up of guest musicians contributing to a homage to Mahavishnu Orchestra as seen through the eyes of the Crimson King. Percussionist extraordinaire Pat Mastellotto clatters and batters his way through the serpentine riffing. It’s like ‘Vision Is A Naked Sword’ being molested by 90s-era Crim and enjoying the experience. Keyboard wiz Jem Godfrey from Frost* puts in a spectacular turn pastiching Jan Hammer’s mind-melting synth solos.
The acoustic guitar has not been tucked away in its flight case completely. Pieces like ‘Street and Circus’ and ‘The Other Side’ add contrast to the heavier material. The latter showcases Matt’s pop sensibilities with a chord sequence that recalls the Foo Fighters’ hit ‘Everlong’ but with the added lyricism in the lead melodies that this guitarist does so well.
If brevity is the soul of wit then Matt is something of a genius, packing so much fine detail into each of his creations. The highlight though is ‘The Bridge’. Weighing in at over twelve minutes it is his most ambitious solo composition yet. The heavy riff is pure Celtic Frost with its evil intervallic jumps but the yearning quality of the melody which accompanies it makes the heart soar.
It is impossible to categorise this music. Matt has garnered praise and listeners mainly from the prog sphere, perhaps due to his heart-on-sleeve admission of the many artists which have inspired him over the years. There is so much more going on here though. Lucid is a crucible in which burn all the influences that fire his imagination. In that way this is a statement that is highly individual and could only come from Stevens himself. Thankfully it is a statement which will also ring true with anyone open-minded enough to share in another person’s headspace and musical world and claim some of it for their own.
