John Meier
(Country
Music International U.K.)
With
a minimum of backing musicians for each song, he draws you into them, you
become relaxed, Matt takes you in and out of each of them, never letting
your mind wonder from the acoustic feel to the album. He gives your ears
respect not a bashing, in return you give Matt the same.
Star rating
10.
Oyvrind Ronning.
(Dagbladat,
Norway)
Review
Link
"Waltzin’
an Angel" is rock solid and well written, with Manning’s touching vocals-
perfect for a stressed Christmas soul". 5 out of 6
Eric
Shea
(Listen.Com)
Matt Manning's
smooth and seasoned voice is perfect for Country-Folk.
His songs are reflective
works of art that are effective in their stripped-down acoustic vibe.
Here, a wooden
six string accompanies Manning's intimate inflections as background singers
quietly coo over hushed bongo beats. His whole vibe kind of captures that
version of "Everybody's Talking," the Fred Neil song that Nilson covered
for the soundtrack to Midnight Cowboy.
Paul Dromey
(Folk File,
Evening Echo)
"Waltzin’
an Angel" heralds the arrival of a new and talented Irish songwriter with
a real gift".
John O’ Regan
(Folk Roots)
"Waltzin
an Angel" is a work of quietly assuring quality that yields rich rewards
on continued exposure".
P.J. Curtis
(record
producer, broadcaster,author)
"Matt
Manning crafts songs which spring from his own life experiences and keen
observations - and delivers them with earthly passion, honesty, and directness
of spirit. Matt possesses the most valuable gift any songwriter can possess
– the ability to reach out and through his songs and genuinely touch the
heart of the listener".
Live Performance
Review
(Country
Music Magazine)
"The one thing
that struck me right from the start was the sincerity and strength of feeling
in Matt Manning’s voice – singing songs that, although deeply personal,
tugged at the emotions, but were also about subjects that each of us could
relate to".
London Advertiser.
(G.B.)
Now I am not
one for making comparisons, but this guy has the quality of Gordon Lightfoot,
the same keen sense of lyrics, a similar warm, intimate delivery.
Jack Hamlett
Irish Bands
Live /United Kingdom
Review
Link
Matt Manning
is a singer/songwriter who has built a reputation as a producer and arranger
and has worked with some of the best in the music industry.
This album
reflects the great qualities this guy has for putting words into song.
The album is a mix of Irish and country, and is full of suburb ballads.
Matt has worked
his magic to hold you captive from the moment you put the disk in the player.
You can feel the love that flows from this album yet you get caught up
in the sadness of life’s up’s and downs. But with the flick of a button
you can be tapping you feet to a country beat. I just love the way he has
mixed this album, the soft tones of the guitar, to the haunting sounds
of the harmonica and whistle sends a tingle up your spine. Matt has a voice
that’s clear, smooth, calming yet strong which gives him the ability to
sing both soft ballads and up tempo county tracks with great dexterity
and assurance.
The musicional
content of this album is of outstanding quality and the ability of the
musicians with the expertise of Matt to blend and mix all the different
sounds into a superb album is a credit to their art. As a song writer he
has a gift that he has given us the honor to share with him in his compositions,
words and thoughts, that I know you will hold close to your heart when
you hear this beautiful album. Matt has not forgotten his roots and still
holds his homeland close to his heart. This is reflected in the songs on
this great album from “The Rains Still Pouring Down” a story of his hometown
and the fond memories of adolescent youth, to “ The Precious Years” a song
about love lost, and the memories of the precious years spent together
and how that friendship still remains in your heart. If I had to pick a
favorite track from all the superb songs on this album it would be “Strange
Kinda Love” in this song Matt has captured what so many families fail to
see the fact that we don’t always listen to our children when they have
something to say, and how we avoid the issue and never give it a second
thought. And we are only concerned with what is good for the family and
not the child, but then it’s to late and the child is leaving home because
the pressure is to great to bear, and with nowhere to go turns to a life
of loneliness and becomes a lady of the night.
Listen to
what Matt has to say, don’t let this happen to your child, take the time
to listen.
This is a
most outstanding piece of song writing as are all the tracks on this masterpiece.
In conclusion
“Waltzin an Angel” is an artwork in words and music produced by an artist
with a great feeling
and understanding
of life in its entirety.
Irish Music
Newsletter.
(Issue
23, Volume 1.)
When Cork
City , Ireland musician / songwriter par excellence Matt Manning was asked
to produce and arrange an album recently in the U.S.A he found himself
working with the likes of Jackson Brown and Bruce Hornsby (musicians and
songwriters who have influenced a whole generation). It was surely an amazing
experience. How does an Irish musician work with and produce such peerless
talents? We decided to find out. In his own words, this is how Matt Manning
brought an amazing array of talent together.
"What do you
say to a living legend? When I went to Jackson Brown's famous Groove Masters
Studios in Santa Monica, California to record his backing vocals, a lot
of things were going through my mind. What will I say? What would he say?
Would he say who is this guy? Could I get what I wanted and how would I
manage this? When I pulled into the car park another truck pulled up next
to me.I recognised the face - here we go I thought. Hello says he, you
must be Matt! Hello I said, you must be Jackson! He laughed, I laughed,
and then he gave me a hug as if we were old friends and said, what do you
want me to do? Talking about "Running On Empty", I was trying to be cool.
Later in the day he told me he was going to the doctor as he believed he
had arthritis in his little finger. Pointing to the sky he said, please
leave the fingers alone, can't you see I am flying the colours on my chin,
pointing to the grey stubble on his face and recognising the fact that
age was coming upon his well known boyish good looks. He invited me to
visit him on his ranch at Point Conception. A few weeks later I arrived
at the door and there he stood. Hi Matt, he said. I said back in return,
is it yourself that's in it Jackson? To say it was a pleasure to be in
his company is an understatement. Here is the genuine article, sensitive,
caring, humble and possessing an enormous gift. Long live the King. "Take
it Easy", Jackson.
Mr. Bruce Hornsby
was much more 'one of the boys'. A hugely talented individual and so respected
by his peers. To say this man is a genius is pretty accurate, I would say.
As he was singing his harmony part on Guy Clarks "Immigrant Eyes" I mentioned
to him that he sounded very like an Irish singer/songwriter named
Paul
Brady.
He turned
and with eyes wide open said to me, " Paul Brady is one of my favourite
all time guys, he is amazing,
what a writer,
I love the guys stuff "
I turned
to Bruce and said,
"me
too". Sing on man.
Paul Brady
In
my time when I worked as a touring musician, going from place to place,
gig to gig, fog to fog,
on
more that one occasion when Paul Brady came over the radio it was like
a breath of fresh air.
This
I knew was the real deal, not entertainment, way above that.
Just
him and his guitar and something else holding the two together.
Paul
Brady's early acoustic music touched me in a way that I will never forget.
A
rare diamond on a beach full of stones.
Give
them what they want and you lose everything,
give
what you have and that in itself is the reward.
This
I believe, may be the huge divide separating those seeking 'stardom' and
a true artist.
Matt Manning.
" Whatever
praises itself but in the deed, devours the deed in the praise."
William Shakesphere.
If my work
pleases the few I am gratified. As for the mob,
I have no
desire to be a popular novelist. It is far too easy."
Oscar Wilde
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