Matt Waco – In My Life Before
Matt Waco’s “In My Life Before” begins with romantic saxophone and acoustic guitar, creating an almost 1980s-inspired mood with a somewhat fast but intriguing rhythm until the vocals come in. The mature vocal performance adds a powerful storytelling element to the music, changing it into a mid-tempo ballad with piano, saxophone, and guitar collaborating to create a warm and nostalgic atmosphere. There’s something here that reminds me of Roky Erickson’s solo work, although with a more distinct 1980s style. The saxophone is especially successful, adding a sentimental and almost cinematic atmosphere to the arrangement, while the acoustic guitar keeps the song steady. The combination of these instruments gives the tune a soft and romantic quality that becomes increasingly obvious as the song proceeds. From a production standpoint, I would give the rich orchestration a little more room, possibly through improved frequency separation, as some of the instruments sometimes compete for space in the mix. Nonetheless, this doesn’t reduce the song’s emotional value. “In My Life Before” is a warm, mature, and nostalgic song, and the powerful saxophone in particular helps to slowly take the listener into the song’s atmosphere.
