Album Review: Matt Pryor - 'Wrist Slitter' | theMusic.com.au | Australian music news, gig guide, music reviews

Matt Pryor is a musician who has essentially dedicated every fibre of his being to creating music, having released something every year bar three since he began recording in '97 ('98, '09, '10). Whether it's for The Get Up Kids, or The New Amsterdams, or for his solo project, the man puts enough into each project to make the words 'side project' seem like an insult. The singer's latest album, 'Wrist Slitter' is just another trophy to put up on a wall that's already full of them.

Despite the record being heavily acoustic-based, it doesn't stop Pryor from making it feel as if it's a true rock and roll record.

'Kinda Go To Pieces,' and 'Won't Speak To Me' are two of the most perfect examples of this on the record, setting themselves up as true rock songs, with a similar, if not greater feel coming from 'If I Wear A Disguise.' Pryor pulls off the acoustic-rock style like a pro, and given his years of experience, it's not hard to understand that.

The album features a lone track that could be considered 'softer' to the rest, 'As Perfect As I'll Ever Be,' which musically, adds a great deal of depth to the collection of tracks. Thriving off the sheer beauty that you can create with just a violin, an acoustic guitar, and a few vocal harmonies, the track manages to be marked as one of the most charming songs on the record, and is definitely a stand-out moment.

The album sees a prominent guest vocal spot from Chris Conley on 'Before My Tongue Becomes A Sword,' adding some marvelous harmonies, which while adding a nice depth to the track, almost serves just to remind us all that this is Matt's record, and frankly, the spotlight is on his performance.

This is a really strong album, though for Matt Pryor, it's not anything particularly shocking. 'Wrist Slitter' doesn't do a great deal to stand out from the rest of his material, but on its own, it's a fantastic piece of work.