In the 1990s, Canada had no shortage of alternative rock bands. While they were not as successful as their pop contemporaries outside of Canada, they found much success at home, paving the way for artists such as Arcade Fire, Metric, and Nickelback. (Yes, believe it or not, they were once considered an “independent” rock group.)
The Matthew Good Band (MGB), one of the most critically lauded groups of the era, hailed from British Columbia (Canada’s West Coast). They were an anomaly in a scene dominated by Ontario-based groups – yet they managed to find commercial success with their second album, Underdogs, and its lead single, “Everything is Automatic.”
“Everything is Automatic” perfectly encapsulates what made MGB great. Their sound was pop-perfected punk; their lyrics were dark, political, and often very personal. The video reflects that well – interspersing scenes of a unpolished rock band performing with billboards on the streets of Vancouver that sarcastically highlight modern life’s more shallow aspects. Though the billboard scenes seem clichéd now, there’s no doubt that the song’s energy is still as palpable as Matt Good’s sneer.
The band produced two more albums including Beautiful Midnight and The Audio of Being – before breaking up in 2002. Good himself has gone on to a solo career and recently released Lights of Endangered Species, his fifth studio album of new material.
No comments:
Post a Comment