They say to never judge a book by its cover, but the front piece artwork for Matt Massey’s new single, ‘Built’, conveys a message in and of itself. The tune itself is a blistering, driven development in indie rock with some hints of grunge, post-punk, and classic influences pervading its gritty arrangement. Massey, ever the innovator, sets out to sell his return to such gravelly, in-your-face compositions right away through the straightforward yet telling art. Stylizing its typeface as BuiLT, the Ft. Worth artist showcases his ascent into unhinged, unbridled rock by being rather unbridled itself.
These sorts of things matter for a solo artist, designing everything about their work from the ground up. Having been a part of a band since his teenage years, playing covers along the likes of blues, pop, folk, country, and more, it’s a stunning change of pace for Massey not only to return to his rock origins with such a flustering, fiery take, but to pursue the life of a soloist for essentially the first time—at least in a long time. However, Massey holds down the fort, proving well-on that he can “build” into a solo career yet.
Words by: Jonathan Frahm (@jfrahm_)