Matt Benson’s musical story began in the ashes of a Belfast music store explosion, an unlikely spark that lit the fuse for a life dedicated to sound. A salvaged trombone pulled from the wreckage marked the start of a journey that would twist through jazz, ska, electro-swing and soul, taking him from dive bar stages to Glastonbury’s grandest. It’s the kind of tale that feels part fever dream, part rock-and-roll folklore, only Matt Benson lived it and now he’s telling it in his own words.
Having made a name behind the scenes with acts like Sam and The Womp, Bad Manners, The Pogues, and most notably as a touring mainstay in George Ezra’s band, Matt soaked in the spectrum of musical life from sticky-floored clubs to luxury tour buses. That hard-earned stability gave him something rare in the modern music world; time to sit with his own stories and the result is his upcoming debut album Sit Back Down Again, a record wrapped in soul, shadows and the warm brass of New Orleans flair.
Crafted in collaboration with producer Cian Boylan at Camden Studios in Dublin and finished with the touch of Grammy-winner Ruadhri Cushnan, Sit Back Down Again is Matt’s personal opus, an album of twelve tracks that mine themes of grief, growth and romantic ruin. From tales of rooftop whiskey epiphanies to snapshots of broken romance, the LP is set to deliver his fusion of vintage R&B, cinematic storytelling and dusky soul, all delivered with a voice both weathered and warm.
The latest single released ahead of the album is the brand new “Broken Masterpiece,” a song which shows another side of Matt Benson’s artistic vision. While his previous releases leaned into lyrical intimacy and smooth, soulful textures, this track pulls at darker, more theatrical threads. Drawing loose comparisons to Nick Cave’s Henry’s Dream, it lurches with a spectral energy, progressing like a noir hallucination which Matt reimagines, leaning into a fantastical “creature feature” vibe that gives the track its eerie magnetism.
The live performance video filmed at Camden Studios in Dublin brings this intensity into full focus with Matt leading from the Rhodes and the band, featuring Boylan, Conor Brady, Dave Redmond and Darren Beckett, serving up a performance that flexes between menace and melancholy, a taste of the emotional muscle he’s sure to bring to future live shows.
With Sit Back Down Again set to drop on the 11th of July, Matt Benson is preparing for a live tour across Ireland with a series of headline shows from Belfast to Limerick. On the new single, Matt says, “Broken Masterpiece is a groovier, darker, more angry song. The idea is about a supernatural monster: like a fallen angel that was perfect but has become broken. I imagine myself as a little boy climbing up a tree as it’s just getting dark. As I turn to climb back down I notice this creature waiting with dead eyes, and it beckons me with the promise of a reward if I come down. Some people say it’s about the darker parts of your subconscious, but to me it’s a fun song about a monster.”
Having inspired positive comparisons to the likes of Tom Waits and Randy Newman with his debut single, Matt Benson is now set to release his debut album ‘Sit Back Down Again’ on July 11th. He launches the album by sharing his second track, ‘Strangers and Angels’. His solo career comes after an unorthodox journey which took him from touring with Sam and The Womp and Bad Manners and into George Ezra’s arena and festival-headlining live band.
‘Sit Back Down Again’ shows just how much Matt Benson is excelling in the spotlight. His songwriting is exemplary, bringing personal experiences, big emotions and real characters to life, all set to a soundtrack of warm, vintage R&B grooves and jazz-tinged embellishments. And his voice is just as remarkable, his tone ranging from a gritty, raspy baritone to a Nat King Cole-esque smoothness.
Matt says, “I see all of the album’s characters and stories so vividly in my mind. If people get anywhere close to how I see it, I’d be delighted.”
The record features production from Cian Boylan (Jessie Buckley, David Gray) and mastering courtesy of the Grammy Award winner Ruadhri Cushnan (Mumford & Sons, James Bay). Album sessions featured an array of his friends and collaborators including David Klinke (guitar) and Fabio de Oliveira (drums) from George Ezra’s band; drummer Darren Beckett (Brandon Flowers); The Commitments veterans Conor Brady (guitar) and Keith Duffy (bass, The Corrs); Dave Redmond (Dana Masters) on bass; trumpeters Linley Hamilton MBE (Van Morrison) and Ben Edwards (Paolo Nutini, Amy Winehouse); and saxophonist Ben Castle (Radiohead, Blur).
