The new single from Matthew Check is a rhythmic foot-tapper, upbeat and full of energy. ‘Couple of Reasons’ makes the perfect soundtrack for driving through those wide-open spaces you see in the accompanying video. The harmonies, percussion and melody combine to create a positive vibe but pay attention to the lyrics, which offer a contrast to the song’s sonic happiness. Check shared how the song and video were created: “‘Couple of Reasons’ was originally written on the banjo and with three-part harmonies back in 2012. Not particularly about any one person, it was still a sort of romantic amalgamation of a few people I had been dating during that period. The recorded version ended up being a fun collaboration of many musical friends in New York at the time (including Americana singer Alec Gross on harmonica and GRAMMY Award winning singer-songwriter Joanie Leeds). While the song has resurfaced periodically over the years, at live shows of mine, I never imagined that I would make it into a full length music video until this past April when I was out west in Flagstaff, Arizona (where I teamed up with acclaimed filmmaker Rene Rivas, whose vision for the song’s storyline brought it to cinematic life). Furthermore – I also never expected to be driving a ’64 El Dorado down Route 66 at sunset during the pandemic as part of the video shoot! I’m excited to release the song, officially, in multiple mediums for the first time now, almost a decade after its composition.”
Check says of his songwriting: “I can write about anything if I have an assignment but when I’m writing for myself, I usually write about love, traveling, relationships not working out, and life throwing me curveballs.” All these themes can be found on Check’s forthcoming release ‘The November Album’. The record is actually a look back into Check’s musical and personal past. The songs were originally recorded back in 2013 at a time when Check was nursing a broken heart, troubled by rejection and failed romantic relationships. It was a time when Check turned to alcohol to deal with his situation. “It was at the heart of my alcoholism,” he continues. “I was a blackout drunk most nights of the week, and lived a double life of having a respectable job during the day while being a neighborhood barfly at night. I always had Josie in the rear-view mirror, thinking about the relationships that didn’t work out.” A lot’s happened since then, including Check managing to become sober.
Now, Matthew Check feels ready to look back at these songs that charted a way through a difficult period. “I have even more unreleased material that I might unleash, but I’m planning on cutting a fresh record in 2022. It’s time for something new.” While waiting for the new material next year, enjoy this dip into the archives.
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