matt costa / albums

751,053 plays
171 SHARES
293 FAVS
66 fans

- Unfamiliar Faces
- - 252,575 plays
  - 77 favs
  - 35 shares
Matt Costa
Released 2007

Mr. Pitiful
02:56
59,153 plays

Lilacs
04:15
23,534 plays

Vienna
04:04
19,508 plays

- Add to cart
- buy
- share

songs

- 1
- Mr. Pitiful
- 02:56
- 59,153 plays

- 2
- Lilacs
- 04:15
- 23,534 plays

- 3
- Never Looking Back
- 04:04
- 18,993 plays

- 4
- Emergency Call
- 04:59
- 18,871 plays

- 5
- Vienna
- 04:04
- 19,508 plays

- 6
- Unfamiliar Faces
- 04:06
- 16,907 plays

- 7
- Cigarette Eyes
- 03:17
- 18,930 plays

- 8
- Downfall
- 02:46
- 14,961 plays

- 9
- Trying To Lose My Mind
- 03:52
- 15,863 plays

- 10
- Bound
- 05:08
- 13,611 plays

- 11
- Heart Of Stone
- 03:53
- 13,409 plays

- 12
- Miss Magnolia
- 03:18
- 18,838 plays

- play all

album review

Matt Costa's sophomore effort, Unfamiliar Faces, finds the singer/songwriter delving into similar territory to his 2006 debut, Songs We Sing, crafting hummable, somewhat intricate AM pop-influenced tracks. As with other similarly inclined artists like Josh Rouse, Costa trades in a kind of grab bag, post-alternative rock singer/songwriter style that references '80s British icons like Morrissey and the Cure as much as it does classic singer/songwriter and sunshine pop touchstones like Todd Rundgren, Brian Wilson, Jackson Browne, and others. A pleasant presence on record, Costa's vocal style does bring to mind a mix of the Shins' James Mercer and the Decemberists' Colin Meloy, and admittedly his odd penchant for affecting a British accent is a bit annoying -- he's from California for gosh sake. That said, tracks like "Mr. Pitiful" and "Cigarette Eyes" are immediately catchy and radio-ready singles that display Costa's obvious knack for Brit-pop-inspired songcraft. Similarly, such atmospheric and melancholy affairs as the very Smiths-sequel "Vienna" and countryish "Never Looking Back" are affecting and moving ballads perfect for the afterglow set. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide