‘Southside of the West Town‘, the new song from Matt Paxton & The Pintos, inhabits a mood of encroaching hopelessness – in a darkened town, with the neon shining through the rain, the narrator questions themself and what they are doing: “Singing for the living / Sometimes you make a dime / What’s the point of singing / If you can’t free your mind?” There’s a heavy hint that the usual consolations of love and home, whilst there, are not really doing it, the words may say “Southside of the West Town / Your shimmering eyes /
Feels good to be home” but the voice does not endorse that statement. It’s made even more poignant by the weeping pedal steel of Chris Altmann.
Matt Paxton is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Hamilton, Ontario who has five albums to his name, alongside EPs and singles. Matt Paxton will tell you that he tends to wear his heart on his sleeve – and his songs delve into themes of love, loss, and self-reflection. He is currently recording a new album in Hamilton with producer Tim Allard of the Redhill Valleys. Paxton has been actively recording and playing shows around Southern Ontario as of late with his new backing band, the Pintos — featuring Chris Altmann on pedal steel, Carrie Clark on bass, and Robin Pirson on drums. As ‘Southside of the West Town‘ demonstrates they can certainly capture a down at heel mood to perfection.
