Thanks to everyone who came out this weekend to inagurate Haunt to Austin! check out the press:

The Onion AV Club – “Though Alt Country has always paid lip service to theinfluence of punk, it’s usually too polite to really bring the noise – andthat was certainly the case with Matt Hebert’s bruised Americana, whetherwith… No Depression faves Ware River Club or on his own. But with “The Deep North,” the sophomore effort from Hebert’s newest group Haunt, mellow goldtakes a backseat to brass balls, with thick layers of needling guitar reminding listeners that a lot of people consider The Replacements to be roots-rock too. Hebert’s voice is still a raspy, lowing thing, and it’sthat push-and-pull between the band’s 90’s indebted fuzz and his melancholy growl that gives The Deep North it’s true grit.”

Persian Wars had to cancel so Miss Odette will be joining us.  This will be a great night.

I’ve been in love with Austin for years and since Canada has no interest in my skills as a painter, counselor, cook or musician and the beer prices are ferociously high.  I have decided to move here.  Sam will join me in April.  Since every person living in Austin is a musician, I’ve managed to put a band together pretty quick.

We’ve got shows poppin up and are working on some new songs.  Also look for an EP to come out soon under my birth name.

Shows:

Jan. 30th at The Ghost Room/Full band

Jan. 20th at the Carousel Lounge/Solo

“This is where the stars come crashing down,” Matt Hebert sings in a raspy voice (like The Frames’ Glen Hansard or The Dears’ Murray Lightburn) on Haunt’s first track “The Sea and The Soul.” And just as he does, it’s not the stars that come crashing, but the explosive guitars. For years, Hebert has led the alt. country outfit Ware River Club, a band more aligned with Uncle Tupelo than 90’s alt rock, but on his second album as Haunt, Hebert positions his music somewhere between the fuzz of Bob Mould and the pop of Matthew Sweet. Without doubt, multi-instrumentalist Jose Ayerve of Spouse has a lot of input on this CD, helping keep things simple but adding a rattle and hum to the music that dirties it up a bit more than Hebert’s previous work.

My wife Samantha and I will be relocating to Vancouver BC for a year for her work.  I’ll be heading West just after the 1st of May.  In the next few weeks I’ll be trying to wrap up several projects.

Updates:

Haunt Record - “Loss” was originally  going to be and EP but I found myself alone with a guitar and ended up with a 12 song LP.  Piano gets recorded next week and some harmony vocals and percussion will follow.  This may or may not get finished in Western MA.

Scary Beard - We finished tracking today and Matt Cullen of The Humming Field will start mixing tomorrow.  The album is very fun!  It’s dark and suprisingly catchy.  It’s also my first involvement with a concept album.  End of the world anyone?

Gig – Haunt will play our last show in the Northeast before I leave at The Brass Cat in Easthampton, MA on May 2nd.  Fancy Trash and J. Johnson of National Carpet round out the bill.  Come say hey!!!

I’m wrapping up an EP called “Loss”.  It’s a bit of a dark thing revolving largely around the subject of death.  Jason Smith put down some drum tracks and I’ve been working on acoustic guitar, bass and vocals.  Scott Hall will be putting down piano tracks this week and Bob Hennessy is gonna break out his mandolin.  Mark Schwaber makes a guest appearance on guitar and Jose Ayerve is helping out with harmony.  I hope to release it in the upcoming months.

Tracklist:

If You Actually See Me

Surrender

Bad Neighborhood

Breathe Easy

Friend

My wife Samantha left for a few weeks to do some work in Tampa Bay.  My friend Mike Wyzik (Ghosts of Blake, Storm the Ohio, Red Door Exchange) and I came up with an idea to write and record a record while she’s away.  We decideed not to talk about it until she was gone.  No ideas, no plan.  All we had was the name Scary Beard.  The day Sam left Mike found a used digital 8 track for $150.  We set up a Roland 707 drum machine a Korg synth and filled the dining room with guitars and pedals.   We wrote and recorded 11 songs in  8 days.  We had some lyric writing sessions with a few special guests and will most likely be done recording on schedule.  We’re going to put similar restrictions on the mix.  Whoever does it gets one day.

It kind of sounds like an electro punk record.  I’ll put up a link as soon as we’re done.  The photo is of the dining room day 1.

I’m almost done with an acoustic EP that will come out under my own name and Haunt is playing at The Basement in Northampton Ma. on Friday Feb. 13th.

Cheers

Matt

photo from Halloween 2008 (witches not wizards!)

Haunt will be headlining a show at the Brass Cat in Easthampton Saturday January 17th.  We’re sharing the night with a bunch of great bands.

Strom The Ohio- Big Neil Young fans, great musicians, amazing songs.

Ghosts of Blake- Come hear songs from they’re upcoming release.  7 years in the making and still incredibly fresh.  psych folk done so well.

Oweihops- I’ve been helping these “Colonial folkers” record they’re new record.  Beautiful, haunting and memorable

Hope to see ya!!!

Matt

I’ve been spending a good amount of time in the studio. Working on a new record tentatively titled “Loss” as well as recording some friends.

I’m working on a record for Colonial folk rockers Oweihops. The album is in the very early stages but sounds great so far. Ex Scud Mt. Boy Stephen Desaulniers will be coming in just after the first of the year to start work on his first solo record. Ex Unband frontman Matt Pierce and his new band Fistah are working on some vocals in the studio and I kind of remember how that session went. I think there’s pictures.

http://www.myspace.com/oweihops

http://www.myspace.com/fistah

http://www.myspace.com/scudmountainboys