Roslyn resident Matt Stamm continues to solidify his reputation as one of the rising young stars of the New York indie music scene.
Last month, he released his sixth studio album, Lines and Waves, featuring both original tunes from Stamm and cover versions of such familiar songs as “Always Something There To Remind Me,” which is available now in video.
A native of Goshen, N.Y. in Orange County, Stamm has lived in Roslyn with his wife and daughter for six years, relocating from Brooklyn, where he has a studio.
“It’s a great area to raise a family,” Stamm told The Roslyn News. “We live near the Duck Pond and we love walking into town.” The Stamm family takes part in all the amenities that Roslyn has to offer, not just the restaurants along Old Northern Boulevard and the Duck Pond, but also the Bryant Library, where Stamm’s daughter enjoys spending time.
On top of this, Lines And Waves has already received favorable reviews.
“The sweet melodies powered by Matt’s soft, mellow voice make Lines And Waves a very soothing, enjoyable album,” wrote Chloe Sholl in Confront Magazine.
“Not since Todd Rundgren has an artist so completely made someone else’s songs his own… This is absolutely beautiful,” added a review in Audio Fuzz. Meanwhile, Urb.com premiered the music video, while hailing the albums as “a classic in the making.”
The album was recorded in its entirety at The Apartment, Stamm’s home studio, and mixed and mastered by Joe Rogers at Room 17 in Brooklyn. The original tracks on the new album pay homage, in part, to the singer-songwriter’s core musical influences, which include such American classics as The Beach Boys, Paul Simon, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, plus Elliott Smith and Pete Yorn. The album also marks the first time Stamm has included cover songs. In addition to “Always Something There to Remind Me,” there are renditions of “Deeper Conversation” and The Beatles’ classic, “I’ve Just Seen a Face.”
“This is the record I should have been making all along,” said Stamm. “I am proud to say that I played every note, every sound you hear on it. It’s pretty amazing to see what comes out when you force yourself to push the boundaries of your creative abilities.”
He further describes Lines and Waves as “a record that chronicles a time of significant evolution for me, both as a person and as an artist. It’s about life, love, and the constant struggle to find happiness wherever you are, whatever you do.”
A fixture in the New York indie music scene for over 10 years, Stamm has continued to diversify his musical resume as keyboardist/writer in Erin Mary and The West Island (Tiger Blanket Records), bassist in Neon Groves (Silence Breaks), and recent collaborations with NYC underground hip hop phenom J57 for some upcoming releases.
In addition to his music career, Stamm is heavily involved for his fundraising efforts for the Joshua Stamm Memorial Scholarship Fund. The fund is named for Stamm’s brother who died several years ago after battling a rare genetic disorder.
The fund is used for research, but also to provide scholarships for disabled seniors in area high schools. The fund helps disabled people to better manage their lives, plus it assists athletes with disabilities to further their endeavors. Past funding has helped to pay travel fees for athletes participating in the Para Olympic Games. In fact, for his 2010 album, titled Joshua in tribute to his late brother, Stamm donated 50 percent of the proceeds for research and the other 50 percent to the scholarship fund.
Lines And Waves and Joshua are just two of Stamm’s recorded albums. The others include I Could Be Happy Here (2005), Where Do We Go (2007) and Willow (2010).
