Anthology

By David Moye

You never really know your album until it’s out on the streets fending for itself.

That’s the lesson singer/ songwriter Matt Wertz has finally learned after the release of his fourth, “Weights & Wings.”

The record was released last month, but, only now, even after months writing and recording is he figuring what it means to him.

“It really takes an album’s release and being out there for you to learn how it is,” Wertz said. “You think you know a song, but you really never do until you see how people react.

“In fact, an album only gains value and solidifies itself as a body of work as it gets exposed to people.”

Wertz is coming to Anthology April 17 and he is excited to see how his fans in San Diego react to the new songs.

“[Anthology] is a different setting for us,” he said. “We usually play rock clubs and this is more of a listening club. We love it!

“But I am eager for people to know the songs more. Already, people are singing along — I’d say about 30 percent of them.”

He’s surprised at which songs are appealing to the fans. “The song from the new album that is rising to the top is ‘Someone Like You,'” he said. “I’m surprised because I wrote it seven years ago and it never made it on to an album until now,” he said. “I’ve scrutinized the song and the mix, but, after a while, you lose perspective.

“At one point, I had strong feelings about all of the songs, but then when you’re getting the album together, you start questioning everything until it’s released.”

“Someone Like You” had a seven-year gestation period, and while that’s long, Wertz believes songs need to breathe before they can be sung.

“It was difficult on this album, because, unlike previous recordings, I didn’t have the advantage of testing them in shows because I didn’t play that much,” he said. “So I didn’t know how they would connect. But they are!”

—

WHAT: Matt Wertz
WHEN: Sunday, April 24th, 2011, 7:00pm
MORE INFO: Artist Profile
TICKETS: $10-25 Buy Tickets