Albums Of The Year: No. 2

MATTHEW GOOD - 'Hospital Music'

Yes, it's a depressing name for an album, but given the circumstances behind how it came to be, it's perfectly apt. And actually quite beautiful. Matthew Good was the singer, guitarist and songwriter in the Matthew Good Band, an extremely successful band in Canada and America in the late 90's/early 2000's. After the band split, Matt Good started a solo career, splitting his time between recording, being a very outspoken political writer, and spending time with his wife. Matt is possibly the most open and honest 'rock star' out there; he often says things that are uncomfortable to hear, or that you don't agree with, but it's never less than 100% honest. In an industry of instant reality show stars and a world of spin, that alone should be appreciated, if not applauded.

Last year Matthew Good went through a divorce, an event which seemed to be understandably hard for him to get through. After a period of depression he was diagnosed with Bipolarity. During a trip to Europe he unknowingly overdosed on his medication, and woke up in hospital. While there, he spent his time dealing with the events that had recently happened to him, and the result is this album. Hospital Music was born out of reflection, regret, anger and having his family around him to get through the ordeal. This is why I consider it a beautiful, if uncomfortably honest album.

'Champions Of Nothing' opens the album, a 10-minute epic that starts with a voicemail message of a woman telling someone "I hate you", and proceeds to grow into an epic monster. 'A Single Explosion' is an almost delirious, dream-like tale of hospital recovery, and maybe lyrically the most brutal song on the album. As he sings "I dreamt last night I saw you, The single spark explosion negotiating with the dead, By the bright lights of some ICU on my chest you put your head, And said there you are - there you are - there's my heart". It's as heartbreaking as it sounds.

'Metal Airplanes' tells of a man travelling, wallowing in a haze of bottles and cuts that have long since vanished yet continue to bleed. '99% Of Us Is Failure' is perhaps Matt's lowest point during this period, especially when his voice cracks as he sings "Walk outside and look at the sky, Ask it to fall or tell you why", yet still manages to have an amazingly upbeat and catchy chorus. 'Born Losers' is fast-paced pop song that seems to dive under the belly of courtship, specifically the club scene and the falsehood that accompanies it. "That trailer trash pedigree is calling, It beats you down when you're on all fours, Me I like to cast my doubts on yesterday, 'Cause what doesn't kill us now just makes us better whores" is probably the most mean-spirited line I've ever heard in a fun pop tune, and really tells us where he's coming from, theme-wise.

'Black Helicopter' is my favourite song from the album, and sees Matt go back to his political roots with an obvious swipe at the Bush/Blair government and the War on Terror. When I first heard the line "Only killers call killing progress" I literally applauded. It speaks volumes of the current climate, not just the atrocities that have been inflicted on us, but also that we've taken similar steps and justify them with the label of being a defence. Surely, the murder of an innocent is equally damning, regardless of reasons or beliefs.

However, we're soon back to the painfully personal, first with a 1-minute rock-rant that has Matt screaming "I'm not safer than a bank, bitch!", and culminating with the gorgeous and melancholy 'She's In It For The Money'. At this point, it almost seems that he's mocking his own misery as he sings "I'm in love with your pills, I tried to get rid of myself, A little red and a little blue, Climbed a wall - how about you?". It still remains the most affecting song on the album, especially when the chorus chants "She's in it for the money though love don't cost a thing, Build your heart a diamond and it don't need no ring, She's in it for the money - No love don't mean a thing". Absolutely beautiful, and haunting.

And yet it ends on a beat of pure optimism with a cover of Daniel Johnston's 'True Love Will Find You In The End' where we're reminded that "True love is searching too". Hospital Music is an often difficult and challenging album, but one caked in the outpourings of an open soul and bathed in warm and inviting music. I loved it instantly, but it took a few listens before I got it. Essentially, the message of the record is that things can be awful, and you think you won't survive it, but stay the course and you'll come out of it with a smile. This stands as the best work this incredible artist has produced, and it's all the more powerful because it's true.