Striking Matches - Nothing But the Silence

 

Striking Matches

Nothing But the Silence

2015

Striking Matches are not what you think. Looking at their cover you may think this will be an indie She & him type of band. Something ethereal with just a boy and a girl playing off of each other. You would be very wrong. Striking Matches are a Country band but they are far from the Country you hear on today's radio. Nothing But the Silence is soulful, playful and any other full you can think of to describe a really good record. There are ballads, raucous guitar solos, acoustic stomping anthems and almost everything in between. Striking Matches are throwing a lot at the wall with this record, however the good thing is most of it sticks. They never let themselves fall into a trap of being something they do not want to be, unlike most country no label or popular culture is pulling the strings on this band. 

Often when a male and a female vocalist work together one seems to over power or is just better than the other. Not with Striking Matches, both vocals work really well together. It seems that Striking Matches are at their best when they are playing and singing loud. It is not that their ballads are not well done, its just that their voices work so well with songs like "Miss Me More" that those end up being the standouts. For someone who is not a country fan like myself it is always so refreshing to find something really well done in the country sphere. If you are looking for something that you can sing out loud or sit alone and listen to in your headphones Striking Matches Nothing But the Silence is the record for you. 

7.6 out of 10