Picture this: Strikingly colourful and bold wildlife, scintillating sounds, you, and a couple of friends. You’re in Rainbow Valley, the thematic heartbeat of Matt Corby’s stunning sophomore album.
Choosing to work [mostly] on his own has been a decision of great reward. The sounds and scenes of Rainbow Valley work to a healing effect, something that wasn’t showcased on Corby’s debut record, Telluric. Soulful tracks ‘All Fired Up’ and ‘No Ordinary Life’ reflect a general Willy Wonka-esque vibe. The joyous and extravagant melodies, and a vast vocal palette, have all been created by Corby – every piece of instrumentation and vocal work.
Beautiful song ‘Miracle Love’ plays a key part of the album as the main ballad – Corby’s outlandishly stunning vocals layered forming an almost gospel feel. It touches on themes of love, getting carried away in our mistakes, and how to move on from them.
The album closes with ‘Rainbow Valley’, the bluesy-jazz downbeat title track. Corby’s vocals get a major opportunity to shine, and they definitely deliver. This is an incredible step in what’s clearly a new direction for Matt Corby. He has certainly earned his place in music.
8/10
