matisse

They depict their highly acclaimed 2005 ‘Cheap As Art’ debut as ‘an invocation to lunacy, as art always bowed down to madness’. Now, a little over two years later and after eight months of self imposed imprisonment in the studio, matisse unleashed upon the world their sophomore album, the playfully titled Toys Up.
Matisse formed in Athens, Greece, in 1999 and has been performing since; everywhere from small Athenian clubs to supporting acts such as Reammon, Puressence, Shed 7, Frank & Walters, Drugstone etc.
In the summer of 2003, they released an EP, simply entitled ‘4’, through the Columbia label and 2 years later- after a nine month long recording phase- their first LP, ‘Cheap As Art’.
In the summer of 2005 and a few days after the release of their debut, Matisse opened the first day of Greece’s most prestigious rock festival, Rockwave, for Garbage and Marilyn Manson.
In December 2006, taking a brake from the recording of their sophomore album, matisse supported the Kaiser Chiefs for their shows in Greece and warmed up the crowd in all three solid packed venues. Kaiser Chiefs also mentioned in one of their interviews to local press that matisse is one of the most interesting bands they’ve heard lately.
But what is truly interesting is the way the band has changed since their debut release. A change that is obviously portrayed throughout the songs in Toys Up.
From the first riveting chords of the album opener, Call Me, Call Me, and the binding first words “I tried to make up verses and came up with the magic spell”, up until the soothing, wash like romance of Tel Aviv (Hill Of Springs) that concludes it matisse jump head on into a new sound.
Darker and more rough around the edges this visceral new attitude has infiltrated the seemingly bright songs of the album and has inevitably embraced the deep, intensely clouded lyrics.
And that is another strong point for them, as their expressive voice takes them with ease through plane crashes, spirit invocations, agnostic queries, inner self analysis and clean cut love songs. Where do they get it from? Anywhere really.. inspiration has sprung up from news reports, Schopenhauer, Jean–Paul Sartre, Robert Powell, even the Bible.
That is, an album different than expected. Not following the feeling and pop rock sound of their debut Cheap As Art, Toys Up introduces us to another side of the band. More solid, determined and conclusively whole.
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