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After 12 years of playing guitar for Northern Irish anthem rockers Snow Patrol, Nathan Connolly steps up to the mike for the first time as a frontman with his new band Little Matador. Formed during a 2012 Snow Patrol hiatus, Connolly hand-picked a diverse crew of veteran players whose pedigrees include Idlewild, the Frames, and Tired Pony to back him up. While not necessarily a party band, his intent was to make something decidedly heavier, dirtier, and more rock-oriented than his previous work. He wanted a band with some kick and attitude that could be comfortable delivering fuzzed-out thumpers to a small, sweaty rock club. For the most part, Little Matador's 11-song debut delivers on that front. With their three-guitar attack, the thudding riff-rock of tracks like "Stitch Yourself Up" and "Cheating Heart" ably follow the trail of bands like Queen of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters. Not surprisingly, Connolly brings a strong pop element to many of the songs, which helps transcend some of the more direct rock posturing. The stomper "Shatter" makes its case as one of the album's strongest cuts with a deceptively simple riff and huge, memorable melody glowing brightly over its punchy kick drum and tambourine rhythm bed. The production is, at times, both tight and unruly, with plenty of live band feel mixed with the overcompressed patina of the era. When at their heaviest and most melodic, Little Matador resemble Muse's Wall of Sound, and Connolly's high tenor voice rings out in a familiar style. In fact, much of what is here is familiar in the modern rock milieu, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a chance for Connolly to step into a frontman role and show us what he's got, as he and his bandmates deliver a surprisingly confident and enjoyable first outing.
© Timothy Monger /TiVo
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Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Paul Brennan, Composer, Writer - Nathan Connolly, Composer, Writer - Gavin Fox, Composer, Writer - Troy Stewart, Composer, Writer - Little Matador, MainArtist - Dave Magee, Composer, Writer
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
Album review
After 12 years of playing guitar for Northern Irish anthem rockers Snow Patrol, Nathan Connolly steps up to the mike for the first time as a frontman with his new band Little Matador. Formed during a 2012 Snow Patrol hiatus, Connolly hand-picked a diverse crew of veteran players whose pedigrees include Idlewild, the Frames, and Tired Pony to back him up. While not necessarily a party band, his intent was to make something decidedly heavier, dirtier, and more rock-oriented than his previous work. He wanted a band with some kick and attitude that could be comfortable delivering fuzzed-out thumpers to a small, sweaty rock club. For the most part, Little Matador's 11-song debut delivers on that front. With their three-guitar attack, the thudding riff-rock of tracks like "Stitch Yourself Up" and "Cheating Heart" ably follow the trail of bands like Queen of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters. Not surprisingly, Connolly brings a strong pop element to many of the songs, which helps transcend some of the more direct rock posturing. The stomper "Shatter" makes its case as one of the album's strongest cuts with a deceptively simple riff and huge, memorable melody glowing brightly over its punchy kick drum and tambourine rhythm bed. The production is, at times, both tight and unruly, with plenty of live band feel mixed with the overcompressed patina of the era. When at their heaviest and most melodic, Little Matador resemble Muse's Wall of Sound, and Connolly's high tenor voice rings out in a familiar style. In fact, much of what is here is familiar in the modern rock milieu, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a chance for Connolly to step into a frontman role and show us what he's got, as he and his bandmates deliver a surprisingly confident and enjoyable first outing.
© Timothy Monger /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:39:03
- Main artists: Little Matador
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Third Bar
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2021 Third Bar ℗ 2021 Third Bar
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